Visiting hours

Specialties Burn

Published

Specializes in SICU/CVICU.

Can anyone who works in a burn ICU tell me why the visiting hours are so limited versus other ICUs? Thanks

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I don't actually work in a burn ICU (or even in the medical field - I am a Certified Paralegal at a medical malpractice defense firm), but my brother was severely burned seven years ago and stayed at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, GA. One of the nurses explained to me that one of the biggest reasons why we could only see my brother for two hours a day (four visits broken down into thirty minutes each) is for infection control. She explained that it was very easy for my brother to get infections, especially if one of his visitors was sick so they had to be very strict about the duration of visiting times. If we even felt like we had a scratchy throat or a stuffy nose, we were not able to visit that day.

Sorry for butting in as I'm not in the medical profession, but just wanted to explain what the nurse told me. :)

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

I'm not a burn ICU nurse either--have just floated there on the noc shift--but I too was thinking it was r/t infection risk. Maybe also to accommodate lengthy debridements/dressing changes? That could be hard to do, not to mention risky for the pt, with a steady stream of well-wishers.

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Specializes in Critical/Acute Care, Burns, Wound Care.

Infection control, but mainly the visitation hours are limited due to the BID extensive dressing changes that the nurses perform.

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As far as I've known its been for infection control.

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