Visitation Guidelines

Patients have the right to designate any visitors, including a spouse, domestic partner, a same-sex domestic partner, another family member or a friend. Richmond University Medical Center does not restrict, limit or otherwise deny visitation privileges based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability. All visitors designated by the patient or support person where appropriate shall enjoy visitation privileges that are no more restrictive than those that immediate family members would enjoy.

Visiting hours or the number of visitors may be restricted depending on the patient’s condition or type of patient care unit. Visitors are encouraged to inquire about area specific visitation standards.

• Neonatal Intensive Care Units: Two parents/support persons.
• Pediatrics: Two parents/clearly designated support people.
• Inpatient Child Psychiatry: Contact unit for time, one parent/guardian per day.
• Labor & Delivery: Two support persons (including doula) can be present during labor.
• Maternity: No more than two persons at bedside at any given time. Children of any age are permitted to visit mother in Maternal –Newborn/Postpartum.
• Patients with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities, Cognitive Impairments, Dementia: Two support people may remain through their hospitalization.
• Outpatients Clinics, Pre-Natal Clinic: Pediatric patients are to be accompanied by one parent/guardian. Adult patients may have accompaniment of one person.
• Ambulatory Surgery & Same Day Surgery: One adult visitor/escort may wait for the patient in the designated waiting area.
• Emergency Department: One visitor per adult patient, two visitors per pediatric patient (parents or caregivers only).
• Intensive Care Unit: Two persons may visit during visiting hours.
• Medical Surgical Units: One person per patient for double occupancy rooms and two people for single occupancy rooms.
• Adult Psychiatric Unit: One person during visiting hours 2:00pm to 3:00pm and 7:00pm to 8:00pm.

Visitation Hours

Visiting hours vary by unit, but are generally 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The preferred visiting time where visitors will have increased access to the clinical team is as follows:

• Medical/Surgical/Pediatrics: 12:00pm-8:00pm
• Critical Care: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
• Mother/Baby: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
• Behavioral Health: 2:00pm to 3:00pm and 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Process

• On entrance to the hospital, the visitor is to check in at the information desk.
• The visitor will provide photo ID and inform the receptionist whom they will be visiting.
• A sticker will be issued and is to be affixed to their shirt in full visibility.
• Children/siblings may accompany parents for OB/prenatal appointments.
• Visitors are to limit waiting in the hospital common areas.

Key Points

• At any time, the number of visitors may be restricted depending on the patient’s condition or type of patient care unit.
• All visitors should be free from recent exposure to communicable diseases and without fever or visible signs of illness.

Download the Policy