Windsor Regional Hospital extending visiting hours
Windsor Regional Hospital has extended its visiting hours, but the new policy comes with some restrictions.
Visiting hours have been extended to 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, including weekends.
Previously, the hospital's general visiting hours were from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. during the week and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
The change in the hours also allows 24-hour access for primary caregivers for palliative, emergency, critical care, neonatal and pediatric patients.
“The final product now creates a standardized policy across both campuses that is based upon community feedback and best practice,” David Musyj, president and CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital said in a press release.
The new policy only allows for two visitors at one time, though the hospital said it is willing to make exceptions on compassionate grounds.
The hospital is also discouraging anyone under the age of 14 from visiting the hospital because of what it describes
as a high risk environment.
The new policy also allows for two visitors at a time in the labour room, though no one under the age of 14 will be allowed in.
“It takes into account the physical limitations that patient rooms present at both campuses," Musyj said.
"The goal as we move towards the new, state-of-the-art, acute care hospital is to have facilities that support 24/7 patient caregiver visitation. In the meantime, we are doing the best we can while balancing the wishes of the patients, visitors and physical infrastructure restrictions," he said.
The hospital has a number of recommendations for visitors:
- Keep your visits short – preferably, no longer than 15 minutes at a time.
- Keep noise levels to a minimum.
- Floral arrangements or fruit baskets may not be appropriate for certain patients. Have the designated visitor check with the nurse before bringing these items to the hospital.
- Mylar balloons only - latex balloons cause severe allergies in some people and are not allowed in the hospital.
- If you visit when the physician or other health care professionals are with the patient, at certain times you may be asked to leave the room while they are providing patient care.
- This visitation policy can change as a result of circumstances out of the control of the hospital (ie. infectious outbreak).
