Visiting Guidelines During COVID-19

Woodstock Hospital has established and implemented Family Presence Guidelines to assist with ongoing efforts to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).  Updates to visiting and entrance access will be added to the Situation Report, posted on the Artery for staff to reference as well as the WH website for public to reference.  Individuals found to be non-compliant with these guidelines will be asked to leave the facility.  Please contact the appropriate nursing unit if you have any questions regarding visitor eligibility.  Please contact our Patient Experience Office at 519-421-4233 x3667 or patientfeedback@woodstockhospital.ca should you have a complaint.

Infection Control Measures:

• Active screening and proof of vaccination are no longer required for visitors to enter the facility.
• Visitors will be directed to wash hands and wear a hospital provided, medically graded mask. It is recommended that visitors maintain physical distancing during their visit when possible.
• Visitors that are not compliant with wearing a mask will be asked to leave the facility. Visitors that are unable to wear a mask may not be permitted entry – consideration may be given on case by case basis at discretion of the Clinical Director or designate
• Outdoor visits will be permitted for patients that are ambulating independently or are able to be safely transported by a visitor. Requests for patients that require staff support to enable an outdoor visit will be considered on a case by case basis; unmasked outdoor visits are not permitted
• Visitors must remain in the patient room during the visit.
• Visitors are not permitted to eat or drink in waiting rooms or in patient rooms – exceptions may occur for visitors of Maternal Child and Women’s Health, ED and palliative patients.
• Visitors ARE permitted to go to Tim Horton’s prior to or following their visit. Visitors who are eating and drinking in the cafeteria must sit alone, unless with immediate household members.
• Visitors may only bring in food/beverages for the patient they are visiting; food may not be dropped off at the Main Entrance for patients except in special circumstances i.e. to meet dietary needs. Patients must consume food and drink in their room.
• Visitors must also wear hospital-provided eye protection, gown and gloves prior to entering a patient’s room under additional Droplet & Contact Isolation if providing direct care. This is at the discretion of the primary nurse or Clinical Director and based on the patient’s medical status at the time of the visit.
• Patients who are on Droplet Contact Enhanced Isolation Precautions due to potential COVID exposure may be limited to one (1) visitor that will be required to wear a mask with eye protection when entering the patient room.
• For all other patients on additional precautions, nurses will provide direction to the visitor to ensure visitor safety and proper adherence to the necessary personal protective equipment requirements.
• All hospital contractors, vendors and external service providers must be fully vaccinated to enter the facility.
• Signage covering the Visitor guidelines, Do’s and Don’ts and IPAC measures will be posted at each of the inpatient units

Inpatient Visiting Guidelines

• Visiting hours are 1400-2000
• Inpatient Mental Health visiting hours are 1430-1630 and 1800-2000
• Inpatients will be permitted four (4) visitors per day; only two (2) may visit concurrently except for Maternal Child and Women’s Health – please see below for further details
• Additional consideration will be given for (a) palliative patients, (b) pediatric patients (c) long-stay patients, (d) laboring persons and (e) where required for enabling care
• Overnight visits for visitors will be determined at the discretion of the clinical care team, in consultation with the patient.
• Visitors do not have in and out privileges – once a visitor leaves, they will not be permitted to visit again that day; additional consideration will be given on a case by case basis.
• Children under 16 years of age are permitted to visit when accompanied by an adult and are able to wear a mask except on Inpatient Mental Health.
• NO VISITORS are permitted for patients that are positive or suspect COVID except with Charge Nurse and/or Clinical Director approval
• NO VISITORS are permitted for all admitted patients who require surgery until the COVID-19 swab has been confirmed as negative AND surgery has been completed

If an outbreak is declared on a nursing unit, additional visiting restrictions will be determined by the unit Director in consultation with Infection Control based on patient care needs and outbreak management protocols.

Spiritual Care must follow all infection control measures, are not counted as a visitor, are permitted at any time and may visit more than one patient.

Maternal Child and Women’s Health – Labour & Delivery and Post-Partum Patients

• Are permitted two (2) support persons that must remain the same during labour and per stay and who may visit concurrently – only one support person may stay overnight
• Pregnant persons coming into triage to be assessed for query labour, Non-Stress Tests or other appointments can come up to the unit with one support person.
• Support persons will be given a blue wristband that will permit them in and out privileges from the hospital. Support persons are to limit contact with others when outside the organization. Upon re-entry, the support person is to show screeners the blue wristband
• Confirmed positive COVID-19 patients will have exceptions and restrictions reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Clinical Director, Charge Nurse or delegate.
• If a patient is admitted before COVID Asymptomatic Screen test results are available, the patient and support person will be placed in isolation until COVID-19 test has resulted as negative. During the test-pending period, both the patient and support person are to remain in the patients room and must perform hand hygiene and wear a mask if leaving the room.

Daycare/OR/PACU/ENDO

• One (1) visitor will be permitted to accompany a patient to the Surgical/Daycare waiting area.
• Once the patient leaves for the OR, the visitor may remain in the waiting area
• One (1) pre-approved visitor may be permitted to accompany a patient into Daycare
• One (1) visitor is required to accompany patients for cataract and carpal tunnel surgery and must wait in the main waiting area of the hospital until the procedure is complete. The visitor is permitted to the cafeteria/Tim Horton’s but should not leave the building.

Emergency Department

• One (1) visitor will be permitted to attend and remain with the patient for the duration of their stay in the ED
• ED visitors will be provided with a face mask and are to wear it properly at all times while in the ED. Visitors that refuse to wear the face mask will not be permitted in the ED
• ED visitors must remain in the patient room. Visitors will be permitted limited in and out privileges and may switch out during prolonged patient stays.
• ED visitors are permitted and will be encouraged to eat and drink in the cafeteria/Tim Horton’s
• OVERCAPACITY Mitigation: Due to capacity limits, visitors may be asked to wait in their vehicles or emergency secondary waiting area until the patient is called back to the patient room. The visitors will be notified when they can return to the ED.

Outpatient Services and Diagnostic Imaging

• Outpatients are permitted to self-assess the need for having one (1) visitor accompany them to their appointment. Outpatients not in need of support are encouraged to attend independently.
• Visitors are not permitted to eat or drink in the waiting areas or department during the patient appointment – visitors may go to the cafeteria to eat or drink.
• Children under 16 years of age are not permitted to accompany a patient to their appointment in Diagnostic Imaging or Chemotherapy