What is the visiting policy in your L&D?

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 9, 2004

no restrictions. that can be a HUGE problem. the visiting hours that apply elsewhere do not where we are. It can be great, but sometimes also a real pain. People have NO common sense or decenty as to the noise and rucus they create when "visiting" at 3 a.m. ugh...don't let me go on. It can be beneficial, obviously. Having someone room in w/mom 24/7 is a GOOD THING in my opinion....but 15 others hanging around in the hall, no that is not.

Zhlake · Jul 9, 2004

We don't have a real firm policy I would say. Generally it is up to the nurses and docs discression. Usually quite a few can be in during labor (4-5 or so) and then during pushing 2-3 can be in there. It depends on which labor room you are in . We have 4 labor suits and they are all different sizes. In our largest room, having 3 people during pushing is no problem at all. In our smallest one, having more than 1 person is almost impossible.

PegRNBSN · Jul 9, 2004

We allow three visitors unless patient gets an okay for more from physician.

We have a visitor list that has the names of visitors that the patient will let in to see her without us checking first. Everyone else is stopped at the door and we check with the patient. This part is a huge satisfier for the patient as it keeps out people they don't want visiting.

Our biggest problem is nurses who don't enforce the policy and the visitors get out of control.

Usually we have the biggest problem with our teen population and the friends who really aren't there to support mom just to have a party

imenid37 · Jul 9, 2004

We allow just about anyone to visit if that's what the pt. wants. Sometimes that's a real problem. Most people are very nice, but some are just a big nuisance. Also, it is important to get the pt. alone to make sure she really wants all of the folks who plant themselves in the room to be there. My favourite is the person who comes in for therapeutic rest that brings an army of other teens and loud grandmas in w/ her who want to party at her bedside. We have one doc who tells her pt's just 2 support people and no photos or videos. Usually that works out best to be honest. I prefer (as I had for my own deliveries) just the couple. It is their special moment, but I know not everyone feels like I do and as I say usually people are nice. Unfortunately it's those exceptions to the niceness that stick in your mind.

judy ann · Jul 10, 2004

I've been the gamet. Years (and years) ago, the husband (or mother of the single mom) was allowed at the bedside till time to push. Then they were sent to the waiting room to pace. Not good.

Then the visiting policy became very lax. I've had neighbors, and co-workers-my record was 28!! I couldn't get the CMW to direct the "crowd" to thin, and that was the policy there.

My personal favorite--anyone present at conception is allowed for labor and delivery.

(I also have an OB friend who won't circumcize boys without the PATIENT's concent!) :rolleyes:

ayndim · Jul 10, 2004

(I also have an OB friend who won't circumcize boys without the PATIENT's concent!)

Am I missing something here? Isn't that always required. Or do you mean the pt who is having the procedure (newborn) and not the mom. If so, hats off to your friend.

Zhlake · Jul 10, 2004

(I also have an OB friend who won't circumcize boys without the PATIENT's concent!)

I think that is a GREAT idea!!

cabbage patch rn · Jul 18, 2004

We allow 2 persons in the L & D suite while mom is in labor, then after delivery she can have as many visitors as she wants when we get her cleaned up and the room in relatively good shape. If they want a 3rd person, they can ask the doctor and he will usually okay it. My personl feelings are why would you want your entire neighborhood in there watching something spew forth from your "nether regions"??? Maybe I'm just modest, but to me, childbirth is a very intimate and personal event that I only wanted to share with my husband. I didn't even want my mom in there. Go figure. I absolutely hate, hate, hate having to tell people all day long "Only 2 visitors at time are allowed, you need to decide who is going to stay and who is going to leave" it gets very old. And the looks you get after you have to enforce the policy are priceless, like your Hitler or something. :uhoh3: There is such limited space in our labor and delivery rooms and it makes it next to impossible to take care of mom adequately with a bunch of spectators. Also, with pad changes and vag exams, you are constantly sending the visitors that are "unwanted" during those times out of the room, then you have a bunch of people clogging up the hallway which I feel is a major privacy issue for the other moms laboring in adjacent rooms. I wish patients and visitors had a better understanding of all of this. *sigh* If only the doctors would educate the patients about all of this better prior to their patients hospital stays, maybe that might make a difference.

L&D_RN_OH · Jul 21, 2004

We allow 4 visitors in L&D. We do have visitors who scam the system somehow and have ended up with 7-8 people in a labor room. It can get ugly when trying to explain the visitor policy over and over to people who insist they must be there. We have allowed more than 4 before but have left that up to the physician or CNM.

After delivery, pts can have as many visitors as they want. Personally, I have never understood the people who insist on visiting a new mother at 2 am. Normally, visiting hours don't apply on our unit, but we do point them out postpartum to unnecessary visitors.