Preparing for Your Visit - Visitor Policy
Policy:
In accordance with federal regulations, South Sunflower County Hospital recognizes that all patients have visitation rights and are allowed to have a designated support person. Patients will be informed of their rights, subject to his or her consent, to receive the visitors whom he or she designates, including, but not limited to, a spouse, a domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend. Patients shall have the right to withdraw or deny such consent at any time. South Sunflower County Hospital will not restrict, limit, or otherwise deny visitation privileges based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. South Sunflower County Hospital reserves the right to limit visitation as deemed appropriate or as clinically necessary. The following are examples where visitation may be limited:●infection control issues
●visitation may interfere with the care of other patients
●the hospital is aware that there is an existing court order restricting contact
●visitors engage in disruptive, threatening, or violent behavior of any kind
●the patient is undergoing care interventions
●In the case of a pandemic event, such as widespread influenza, hospital visitation may be limited based on recommendations of the local county health department.
1. Hospital personnel may question visitors at any time to determine the need to be on the premises.
2. A visitor who is unruly or who ignores requests to stay in the designated areas may be asked to leave by hospital personnel.
3. Any visitor may be asked to leave at any time when deemed appropriate by hospital personnel.
Inpatients: South Sunflower County Hospital will allow visitation for non-COVID patients daily during the hours of 7 am to 7 pm. During the set time, the non-COVID patients will be allowed to have a maximum of 3 visitors (12 years or older) in the room at a time.
●At this time, Positive COVID patients and patients admitted to the COVID unit will not be allowed visitors unless it is approved by the Infection Control Medical Director.
●Positive COVID OB patients will be allowed one support person if they are laboring/delivery is imminent; the hospital will provide appropriate PPE. They must always remain in the patient’s room and wear a mask throughout the duration of the hospital stay—if they leave the building they will not be allowed to come back inside.
●If a non-COVID patient requires an overnight guest, this will need to be approved by the admitting physician.
●Minors must have one parent/guardian stay with them throughout the duration of their stay.
●Negative COVID OB patients will be allowed one support person to stay overnight if they are laboring/delivery is imminent.
Outpatients:
Wound Care patients, Outpatient surgery, and OBs receiving ultrasounds will be allowed ONE support person/caregiver to be with them if needed.
ER:
●All adult Emergency Room patients will be allowed ONE visitor/caregiver if the provider deems it necessary for the care/treatment of the patient.
●Pediatric Emergency Room patients must have one parent/guardian with them during the duration of the visit.
Procedure:
●All patient visitors must enter through the main lobby entrance of the hospital.
●Each visitor will be given a yellow badge with the patient’s room number on it. These badges are to be always worn visibly while visiting and returned to the front desk upon leaving. If all three badges for a patient are gone from the front desk, no other visitor will be allowed back until someone switches with them.
●Visitors are to go directly to the patient’s room and remain in the room the entire time they plan to visit. If there is something a visitor needs, they are to utilize the nurse call light and not enter the hallway unless they are leaving.
●The front desk personnel will announce when visitation hours are ending.
●Emergency Room visitors are to enter through the Emergency Department on the north side of the hospital.
●Emergency Room visitor’s area to stay with the patient and not wander about the ER/hospital.
●At any time, visitors to patients may be further restricted at the request of a physician, nurse, or patient.