Visiting times

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Our very small neuro unit has visiting times of: 10.30-12.30; 15.30-17.30; 18.30-20.00hrs. I, and a number of my collegues, think this is too much.

I understand the anguish of relatives when their loved one is critically ill but I also believe that too many people, frequently around the bedside, is too much stimulation for the patient; and a dangerous distraction for the nursing team, especially for a critical case.

Our priority is the patient and I think we've gone too far in encouraging contact with relatives/friends to the detriment of patient care but I get the feeling my view is a politically incorrect one.

I'd welcome your views and I'd be very interested to know how much visiting is permitted across other neuro units.

Many thanks

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Specializes in Author/Business Coach.

My unit is open 8am-6pm then 8pm-10pm and it sucks! I can't stand the constant questions and piddly requests to "fluff mom's pillow" when nothing is wrong with her hands in the first place. Families are distracting and I have gotten behind on meds, treatments, ect dealing with families at the bedside. I agree with you, although I would love to have your visiting hours...

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Specializes in Acute care, Community Med, SANE, ASC.

If you search I think you'll find this has been discussed before and you might find more answers there.

However, consider yourselves lucky as our neuro critical care unit has open visiting hours 20 hours a day. We're only closed 6:30-8:30 am and pm. It's kind of a pain in the rear but it's not as bad as I thought it would be when I started in NCC.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

We have open 24/hr visiting hours. Seriously would love to have your visiting hours. It is such a pain in the rear when you are assessing and family walks in while you are trying to get momma to follow commands and then they all join you and the pt now has 4 people asking her to wiggle her toes. And after you get momma to follow commands they ask her to every 5 seconds. Even after being asked not to. I have had to have many "Leave mom alone or you will be asked to leave for a while discussions".

I think having a period where family can visit for a while and then the patient gets a break and family can come back again is best. Our patients don't get near enough rest as it is.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

This is that customer service that is getting in the way of what is best for the patient.

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Our visiting is 9-930, 1-130, 430-5 and 830-930. Period! If we admit through the day or a relative has come in from OOT we will let them in but for limited time...Hope this helps!

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

I used to work in a unit where visiting hours were open, 24 hrs a day. Not only are you distracted from your pt, but you have to get blankets, get drinks, order a cot, find a chair, be quiet at night for the freakin family members.

It's too much.

The current place I'm at has visiting hrs for 30 min a time every 2 hours from 10am-8pm. I really enjoyed this.

Open visitation is horrible and is making a lot of nurses unhappy. Hopefully you have mgt that gives a damn about you and will listen to your concerns.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

My favorite is when the family buzzes back to be let into the unit and when I say "can I help you?" they say, "Can you open the door?" then I say "No I cannot until I know who you are going to see."

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