Visiting Guidelines
As a part of family-centered care, St. John’s Hospitals provide safe visitation and support of our patients by: family, healthcare decision maker(s) and the spiritual support/leader of their choosing. Visitation must be consistent with patient wishes, the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and must not jeopardize the safety of patients, staff, volunteers or the community. Consistent with state and federal law, the hospitals acknowledge a patient’s right to designate who their visitors should be and to limit their own visitation. The hospitals also will not deny or limit the privilege of visitation based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation/preference, disability or financial ability to pay. Any limitations on visitation must be reasonable or clinically necessary in medically appropriate circumstances.
Visiting Hours
Visiting that is conducive to the healing and comfort of the patient is allowed 24/7 as appropriate to patient care and privacy.
General Visiting Guidelines
At St. John’s, we encourage family members to visit their loved ones in the hospital. To ensure the safety of all our patients, please observe the following:
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If you are ill, have a fever, cough, diarrhea, rash, sore throat, or runny nose, we ask that you please do not visit. Instead, please call the hospital and ask the operator to connect you to the patient.
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All visitors must wash or gel their hands upon entering the hospital, before and after visiting the patient, and upon exiting the hospital. In addition, staff may ask you to wear a mask or gown.
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Please limit the number of children you bring in to the patient room with you to one child at a time. Please have other children wait in the waiting area with another adult to watch them. Please note that we are unable to provide supervision. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
- In the Intensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, children under the age of 16 must receive approval from the unit’s nurse manager prior to entering a patient’s room.
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Children under the age of 12 may not visit patients in isolation for their safety.
- Patients have the right to restrict visitation to their rooms. Please respect our patients’ desire for privacy.
Unit-Specific Visiting Guidelines
Visitor guidelines in some specialized areas of the hospitals differ from the general guidelines. Review special guidelines below or check with the unit nurse.
Emergency Department (ED)
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Visitors to the Emergency Department need authorization from ED personnel to enter the ED. Visitation of ED patients will be authorized at physician / nurse discretion.
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Please limit visitors to one (1) immediate family member per patient at a time.
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Children under the age of 16 may visit only with prior authorization.
- Visiting may be limited during report times (6 a. m. to 8 a. m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.).
- For the purposes of this policy, parents of minor patients are not to be counted / considered as visitors. One or both parents of a minor patient may attend the minor patient at all times in addition to a visitor.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) / Critical Care Unit (CCU):
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Please limit visitors to two (2) immediate family members at a time.
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Children under the age of 16 may visit only with prior authorization.
- Visiting is not permitted during report times (6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.).
- To accommodate family needs, alternative visiting hours may be arranged with the nurse caring for the patient.
- Family wishing to remain in the ICU / CCU Waiting Room after hours must make prior arrangements with the charge nurse.
Labor and Delivery
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Please limit to two (2) visitors per room during visiting hours (9 a.m. to 8 p.m.).
- Between the hours of 8 p.m. and 9 a.m., visitors will be limited to immediate family members. Generally, the delivery support person or “labor coach” and / or the patient’s significant other are not considered visitors for the purposes of this policy.
- For questions about children and siblings, please contact the Labor and Delivery staff.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. John's Regional Medical Center only
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Parents may visit 24 hours per day, except during report times (6:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.).
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Grandparents may arrange to accompany a parent for a short visit.
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Sibling visitation may be arranged via NICU staff in accordance with the NICU visitation policy.
- For more information about the NICU visitation policy, please contact the NICU staff.
Subacute Care Unit at St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital only
- Please contact the Subacute Care Unit for information about visiting hours and guidelines.
Thank you for helping us ensure the safety of our patients and visitors.
For additional information, please call St. John's Regional Medical Center at (805) 988-2500 or St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital at (805) 389-5800.
