Visitor Guidelines

Visitor Guidelines

Saint Francis Healthcare System provides visitation guidelines that promote the well-being of all patients, provides for a healing environment and provides quality care. Family members and significant others are an integral part to the healing or dying process, and visitation is encouraged.

Visiting Hours

We recognize the importance of support from family and friends during your stay. Specific visiting hours have been established to ensure the comfort and privacy of all patients. Visiting hours are 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week. See exceptions below.

Visitation Rights

  • The patient has the right to designate a family member, friend or any other individual present for support during the course of their stay. Unless this designated individual’s presence infringes on others’ rights, safety or is medically or therapeutically contraindicated, Saint Francis Medical Center will allow for the presence of the support individual of the patient’s choice. This individual may or may not be the patient’s surrogate decision maker. Furthermore, the patient has the right to receive the visitors, whom he or she designates, including, but not limited to, a spouse, significant other, family member or  friend.
  • Visitation will be encouraged to the extent that it provides a positive, healing environment for the patient. Patients and visitors will be reminded that rest and/or quiet time is essential in restoring health. Assessment of that need will be ongoing and the responsibility of the assigned nurse.
A woman visits a patient

Adult Acute Care (Inpatient Tower) and Inpatient Rehab

  • Visiting hours will be from 8 am – 8 pm daily.
  • Based on patient care needs, one overnight visitor may be allowed.
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult.
  • Due to space limitations in patient rooms, it is recommended that there are no more than two visitors in the room at a time.  

Intensive Care Unit

  • General visiting hours are 10 am – noon, 2-6 pm and 8:30-10 pm daily.
  • Children under the age of 12 are discouraged from visiting.

Family BirthPlace

  • Those with permission to hold or touch the baby should wash their hands first.
  • At their discretion and in collaboration with the patient, our nurses may adjust the number of visitors at any time, based on safety, security or the patient’s request.
  • Any visitor who does not comply with the above visitor guidelines may be asked to leave.

Children’s Center

  • During the admission process, parent(s)/caregiver(s) will be requested to stay with the hospitalized child at all times.
  • If a legal guardian/parent is unable to stay, another responsible adult over the age of 18 may stay with the patient.
  • It is recommended that children under five years of age have a responsible adult with them at all times.
  • Up to two primary caregivers will be allowed to stay with pediatric patients at all times.
  • Additional visitors may visit from 8 am – 8 pm with a limit of three visitors per room at a time.

Level III NICU

  • Two designated caregivers will be allowed to stay at the bedside at all times if private rooms are available and the patient’s condition allows.
  • Designated “surrogate” visitors will be permitted with parental consent and may visit during visiting hours from 8 am – 8 pm.
  • Only two visitors are allowed at the bedside at a time.
  • All visitors, other than biological parents, must be 18 years of age and older.
  • Division of Family Services and Child Protective Services workers will be allowed from 8 am – 4:30 pm when announced and escorted by delegated NICU staff.

Emergency Department

  • Patients in the Emergency Department may have up to two visitors at a time in the exam room throughout their stay.

After Hours Visitation

  • For security purposes, a visitor staying after 8 pm will be issued a visitor pass.
  • Visitor passes are valid between 8 pm and 8 am daily. Visitors staying more than one night will be required to receive a new pass for each night approved to stay in the Medical Center.
  • All unidentified visitors found roaming the Medical Center campus or in unauthorized areas will be escorted to obtain a visitor pass.
  • The global lockdown system will secure all entrances at 8 pm, except for the Emergency Department. Visitors entering the Medical Center after that time should enter through Entrance 3. The exception would be visitors in the Family BirthPlace, Children’s Center and NICU; these visitors should use the intercom outside of Entrance 5 to request entry.

Compassionate Care Visitation

  • Visiting hours for compassionate care patients are 24 hours a day.

Isolation Room Visitation

  1. Visitors should be kept to a minimum in isolation rooms since they are at risk to become infected or aid in establishing cross infection.
  2. Allowing children to visit in an isolation room is strongly discouraged.
  3. Visitors must see a nurse before entering an isolation room, and the nurse will provide any needed instructions. If continued non-compliance occurs after re-education, the visitor may be asked to leave.