SLVHCS Restricted Visitation Rules.pdf

SLVHCS “Restricted” Visitation Rules

EFFECTIVE 7/28/2021

General Visitor Rules:

• As visitors to a VHA healthcare facility, all visitors must wear an appropriate face covering (mask) at all times. They may wear their own or may be provided one if they do not have an appropriate face covering.

• All visitors must be screened for COVID-19 using current screening protocols and enter during screening station hours via established screening stations. Current screening station hours are 6 AM – 6 PM seven days a week.

• All visitors must respect posted guidance regarding physical distancing and hand hygiene.

• Current visitation policies will be posted at screening stations and on the SLVHCS Home Page.

• If any visitor is unable to follow guidance for safe visitation (such as refusing to wear a mask, improperly wearing a mask, or accessing unapproved areas), the visitor will be asked to leave.

• Veterans and visitors are encouraged to conduct their necessary business at the facility and depart.

• When SLVHCS is under “Restricted” visitation rules, volunteers may not be permitted on campus to protect their safety.

Outpatient clinics including outpatient procedural/surgical areas

• Patients may be accompanied by one adult support person only if they are essential to the medical care of the patient.

• In general, visitors under the age of 18 are strongly discouraged from entering the medical center (except for recognized surrogates). If a minor must accompany a patient to their outpatient appointment due to unavoidable circumstances, the minor must remain with the patient at all times during the visit. If the nature of the patient’s visit precludes the minor from staying with them at all times (for example, during a procedure), the patient must make other arrangements for care of the minor during their visit. Minors are not to wait unaccompanied in waiting areas in the Medical Center.

• All visitors to the outpatient clinics must wear a face covering at all times.

• Visitation is confined to the following areas: the patient care room, the clinic waiting areas, the cafeteria, the retail store, and public restrooms.

Emergency Department Visitation:

• Emergency Department patients who have not presented with COVID-like symptoms or known to be infected with COVID-19 are allowed one visitor per patient if appropriate to the medical status of the patient, as determined by the Emergency Department team.

• Emergency Department patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 will not be allowed a visitor except for end-of-life or compassionate care.

• Emergency Department patients with known or suspected COVID-19 who are undergoing end-of-life or compassionate care may be allowed limited visitors for a short period of time. Visitation will be coordinated as appropriate by the primary treating team.

• All visitors to Emergency Department patients must wear a face covering at all times.

• Visitation is confined to the following areas: the patient’s room, the Emergency Department Waiting

Room, cafeteria, the retail store, and public restrooms.

Inpatient Visitation for non-COVID patients on medical, surgical, or critical care units:

• Visitation for inpatients remains limited due to the elevated risk that COVID-19 may pose to this group. Care teams of inpatients will make available opportunities for Veterans to connect with their loved ones via non-face-to-face methods.

• Inpatients who are COVID-19 negative or COVID-19 recovered may have one visitor per day (no swaps) if deemed medically necessary by the primary treating team and this must be documented by the primary team via a nurse text order. This visitor must enter during screening station hours.

• Exceptions to the above visitation rules may be allowed for end-of-life or compassionate care. In this case, the inpatient team will write a nursing text order indicating that additional visitors are allowed for end-of-life or compassionate care. In general, no more than 3 visitors will be allowed in the room at a time for end-of-life or compassionate care; rare exceptions to this may be arranged through discussion between the primary treating team and the nurse manager.

• In general, visitors under the age of 18 are strongly discouraged from visiting inpatients (except for recognized surrogates) but may be allowed for end-of-life or compassionate care visitation, as indicated in the nursing text order. All minors must be accompanied by a guardian at all times and wear a mask while in the facility.

• Members of the clergy do not count as a patient’s official visitor and can accompany a visitor when visiting a patient. Members of the clergy must follow other visiting rules such as screening and mask-wearing.

• All visitors to the inpatient units must wear a face covering at all times.

• Visitation is confined to the following areas: the patient’s room, the cafeteria, the retail store, and public restrooms.

Inpatient Visitation for COVID patients:

• Inpatients who are currently infected with COVID-19 or are persons under investigation (PUI) are not currently allowed visitors except for end-of-life or compassionate care, as designated in Nursing text order.

• Inpatients with known or suspected COVID-19 who are undergoing end-of-life or compassionate care may be allowed limited visitors for a short period of time. Visitation will be coordinated as appropriate by the primary treating team. End-of-life or compassionate care visitors to COVID-19 inpatients will be provided with medical face masks, eye protection, isolation gowns, and gloves to wear during their visit with the patient.

Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit Visitation:

• Visitation remains limited to specific hours; please contact the unit to arrange approved visitation.

• When pre-arranged visitation occurs to the inpatient behavioral health unit, visitors must wear a face covering at all times.

• Visitation is confined to the following areas: the behavioral health visitation area, the cafeteria, the retail store, and public restrooms.

CLC Visitation:

• Visitation for CLC residents remains limited due to the elevated risk that COVID-19 may pose to this group, and processes may change regularly due to current circumstances. Please contact the unit to arrange approved visitation. CLC visitation must be documented in Nursing text order.