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Press Releases
| Women & Infants Hospital Changes Visitation Policies During Flu Season |
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10/23/09
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Pregnant women, new mothers, newborns and women being treated for cancer are particularly vulnerable to influenza – both seasonal flu and H1N1 (swine flu). To help protect patients, Women & Infants Hospital is making changes to some of the hospital’s visitation policies, effective Monday, October 26, 2009.
Flu/H1N1 FAQs
Changes include:
• Hours of visitation will be restricted from 3 pm to 8 pm, with additional limitations outlined here.
• Only two visitors at a time will be allowed in the patient room.
• Family and friends with a fever, cough or cold symptoms will not be allowed to visit patients in the hospital.
• For patients with confirmed or suspected H1N1 flu, visitors will be limited to the significant other and grandparents/support person – all of whom must wear a mask while in the room. No one under the age of 18 should visit unless cleared through the hospital’s Infection Control staff.
• School age children are at high risk of contracting and spreading the H1N1 virus. Therefore, children under the age of 18 will not be allowed to visit patients in the hospital. The only exception will be for children of the patient or siblings of the newborn provided they pass a brief medical screening that will be given at the hospital prior to visiting the patient room.
• For families of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients, only the mother and banded significant other will be allowed to visit in the NICU 24 hours a day. In addition to the parents, visitors are limited to two at a time, and all will receive a brief medical screening prior to visiting in the NICU. Siblings of the baby may only visit the NICU by appointment and must be screened before entering the NICU.
Visitation screenings will take place in the Main Lobby of the hospital, behind the reception desk.
“Keeping our patients healthy and safe is our top priority,” explained Paula Gillette, RN, MSN, senior vice president of Patient Care Services at Women & Infants. “We appreciate the cooperation and support of our patients and their visitors.” |
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