Crouse Health Visitor Policy

VISITATION AND SUPPORT PERSON POLICY
Updated June 7, 2023

Thank you for your cooperation as we continue to focus on the health and safety of patients and staff.

No one with a cough, fever, loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath, and/or flu-like symptoms, or possible contact with a COVID-19 patient, is permitted to visit the hospital. When reaching an access point to Crouse Hospital, every visitor will be screened for symptoms.

All visitors entering the building must be screened through review of signage upon entry.

  1. Do you have any?
    • New Cough
    • Shortness of Breath
    • Fever >38C
    • Loss of Taste or Smell
    • Flu-like Symptoms (Malaise, Myalgia, Rigor, Sore Throat, or Headache)
  2. If Visitor/Employee answers NO to the above screening questions – allow entry to building.
  3. Ear loop masks will be provided on patient care units where masks continue to be required.

Our staff continues to follow guidelines and protocols with respect to staff precautions while caring for patients with suspected flu and COVID-19 symptoms. These visitation guidelines are meant to help protect you and our community from the spread of COVID-19, and are developed using guidance from the CDC, New York State Department of Health, Onondaga County Department of Health and our own Infection Control specialists.

Accompanying person – Emergency Department and Procedural and Testing Areas

Crouse Health allows patients in the Emergency Department and those coming in for a procedure or test one accompanying person during their stay in the Emergency Department or while undergoing an inpatient or outpatient procedure.

  • The accompanying person  must be 18 years of age or older (special circumstances may occur)
  • A person accompanying a patient in the Emergency Department or for an inpatient or outpatient procedure is screened at the door (see page 1) and provided education on wearing a mask and handwashing
  • Accompanying persons are limited to one person for the duration of the Emergency Department visit or completion of inpatient or outpatient procedure.
  • Pediatric patients (age < 21 years of age) may have two designated accompanying persons with them at all times and these individuals may rotate.
  • Accompanying persons who fail to wear a face mask and other PPE will be asked to leave the facility
  • Once in the facility, accompanying persons must remain in the patient’s room or designated waiting area throughout the visit/procedure except when directed by hospital staff
  • Accompanying persons may leave the hospital and return within the same day but must check back in with Security at points of entry
  • In the event the patient is admitted-see visitation and/or support person listed below

Visitors – Medical/Surgical and Recovery Care Center (post-operative) Patients

Crouse Health allows visitation for Medical/Surgical and Recovery Care Center post-operative patients for eight hours per day seven days a week.

  • Effective 6/7/23: Visiting hours are limited to 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm (eight hours per day) seven days a week and limited to two people per day
  • Visitors must be 12 years of age or older and must be accompanied by an adult
  • Visitors are screened at the door (see page 1) and provided education on wearing a mask (when required) and handwashing via signage
  • Visitors are limited to two people per day- not to exceed 8 hours
  • Visitors seeing COVID patients can receive additional education and assistance with PPE that is required
  • Visitors who fail to wear a face mask where required and other PPE will be asked to leave the facility.
  • Visitors may leave the hospital and return within the same day but must check back in with Security at points of entry.

Visitation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is limited to 4 hours per day from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Patients in the ICU are allowed two visitors per day. 

Overhead announcements will be made prior to end of visiting hours.

Support Persons

The current practices related to support people for the following patients remain in place:

  • Patients in labor and delivery;
  • Pediatric Patients
  • Patients for whom a support person has been determined to be essential to the care of the patient(medically necessary) including patients with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and patients with cognitive impairments including dementia
  • Imminent end-of-life situations(determined on an individual basis)-
    • Patients in imminent end of life situations- one family member at a time may be present at the bedside as a support person.  Imminent end of life is a patient who is actively dying, where death is anticipated within less than 24 hours.  Two support people may be designated to remain with the patient.  In the event the patient is a parent of a minor child, one adult family member and one child may be permitted at the patient’s bedside.  This restriction should be described to the patient/family upon arrival in terms they can understand.

Given the risk of COVID-19 in healthcare settings, visitors and support persons should be informed of the potential risks and benefits of having at least one visitor and/or support person at the bedside.  For those patients and support persons who through informed decision making determine that having a support person at the bedside is essential the following protocol is in place to minimize risk of potential COVID-19 transmission. For patients in which a support person is deemed necessary with a prolonged hospitalization, the patient or family/caregiver may designate two support people; but only one support person may be present at a time.    This restriction must be explained in plain terms to the patient and/or support person upon arrival or prior to arrival.   Individuals age 70 years or older are not encouraged to be visitors or support persons at this time due to increased risk of COVID-19 infection.

A.  The visitor and/or support person of a patient with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 who has been in close contact with the patient has potentially already been exposed to COVID-19.  These persons should:

  • Wear a surgical or procedural mask ( provided by the hospital) throughout their time in the hospital
  • Practice scrupulous hand hygiene
  • Remain in the patient’s room except for entrance and exit from the hospital; and
  • While in the room, a gown and gloves should be worn to prevent the person’s hands or clothes from becoming contaminated.  Eye protection should be worn while in the room and will be provided by the hospital

B.  If the visitor and/or support person of a patient with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 has NOT been a close contact of the patient and does not have a history of confirmed COVID-19, the person should:

  • Wear a surgical or procedural mask ( provided by the hospital) throughout their time in the hospital
  • Practice scrupulous hand hygiene
  • Remain in the patient’s room except for entrance and exit from the hospital; and
  • While in the room, a gown and gloves should be worn to prevent the person’s hands or clothes from becoming contaminated.  Eye protection should be worn while in the room and will be provided by the hospital
  • The risk of acquiring COVID-19 should be fully explained so that the patient, visitor and/or support person can make an informed decision of whether the visitor and/or support person’s presence at the patient bedside is essential to the patient’s health

C.  If the visitor and/or support person has suspected COVID-19 or presents with or develops symptoms of COVID-19, they should be excluded from the hospital (as outlined on page 1).  In this situation, the patient/family may choose to select a different visitor and/or support person following informed decision-making.

D.  In the event the visitor and/or support person has a confirmed history of symptomatic COVID-19 but meets the following conditions:

  • At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery- defined as no fever (greater than or equal to 100.0F) without the use of fever-reducing medications AND
  • Improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath) AND
  • At least 14 days have passes since symptoms attributed to COVID-19 first appeared.
    • For a visitor and/or support person who was asymptomatic at the time of their first positive test and remain asymptomatic, at least 14 days have passed since the first positive test.

Such visitor and/or support person may be allowed to enter with the following precautions:

  • Wear a surgical or procedural mask ( provided by the hospital) throughout their time in the hospital
  • Practice scrupulous hand hygiene
  • Remain in the patient’s room except for entrance and exit from the hospital; and
  • While in the room, a gown and gloves should be worn

When providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to a visitor and/or support person, instructions on PPE conservation strategies should be provided to minimize unnecessary waste and proper usage.

Kienzle Family Maternity Center

Labor and Delivery / Postpartum Units

You will be allowed to have two support people for the duration of your stay in the hospital and, if requested, a doula during labor and delivery.

This “duration of stay” includes labor, delivery and the postpartum period, including recovery. The people who support you during labor and delivery must remain the same people who will be with you following delivery.

Exception: Cesarean Section: you can choose one support person to reside with you during the operative room and during recovery, the second support person can meet you on the postpartum unit.

Support Person(s)
Your two support people can be your partner or whoever you choose to be with you. Your support people cannot rotate or change through the labor process. This includes post labor, while you recover and until you are discharged. Your support people can leave and return only during visiting hours, 12:00pm to 8:00pm. Your support people must be over 18 years of age.

Antepartum/Postpartum may have two additional visitors 12 and older at the bedside per day from 12:o0pm to 8:00pm.

Doulas
Doulas are considered an essential part of the support care team and should be allowed to accompany a pregnant individual during labor and delivery as an additional support person, as medically appropriate.

Pediatric Patients
Pediatric patients are considered any patient who has yet to reach their 21st birthday. Pediatric patients may have two designated support persons with them at all times and these individuals may rotate.

NICU Visitation

This policy goes into effect when the mother is discharged from the hospital.

  • Visitation is open to both parents 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  Both parents may simultaneously be at the beside
  • One support person (in addition to the parents) may be identified at the time of admission. This person may rotate out with one parent at the bedside- not to exceed two visitors at the bedside at a time
  • All visitors will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms via signage each time they enter/reenter the hospital at any of the entry points.

Please note:

  • No eating anywhere in the NICU
  • Masks must be worn when they are required

Visitation for COVID-19 Comfort Care/Dying Patients

COVID-19 rule out and COVID-19 positive patients who are on comfort care or imminently dying, may have their family visit at the bedside.

The following parameters apply:

  • Follow comfort care guidelines of two support persons may be designated to remain with the patient.
  • All visitors wear PPE, including gown, gloves, N95 mask and eye protection.
    • Visitors should be assisted with donning and doffing PPE as needed.
    • The patient also wears a surgical or ear loop mask when possible.
  • Loved ones should be given adequate time at the bedside. During that time, they may touch the patient/hold the patient’s hand. Good judgement should be applied as to how much time is needed.
  • Other family members that cannot be physically present, can be included via video technology (must be cleared by patient and/or HCP/POA if patient is not of capacity). Device should be placed in plastic bag before being taken into the patient’s room.
  • The need for other necessary supports should be assessed on a case by case basis (Spiritual Care Services, family support, care coordination, etc.). Anointments can be performed in the room – but only by a Priest that has been fit tested for the N-95 mask and is trained in PPE.

If you have a patient in your area that you believe may require special circumstance visitation due to comfort care status, or progression of their illness r/t COVID-19, contact the Administrative Nursing Supervisor.

All guidelines here are in accordance with Infection Prevention, Infectious Disease, Senior Leadership and the NYS Department of Health.