General Guidelines
Visitors should not visit if they are ill or have been ill in the last 24 hours.
Guests with the following symptoms should not visit until they are well:
- Fever (Temperature 38°C/100.4°F or higher within the last 24 hours)
- Cold/flu symptoms (nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or productive cough)
- GI symptoms (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea)
- Eye drainage
- Skin lesions or a rash in the last 24 hours
- Exposure to an infectious disease
Entry into the children’s hospital is only granted once identification has been verified.
All visitors, including parents, are required to scan their non-expired identification card through the visitor access system (a personal driver’s license or state issued ID will work). Parents/guardians are issued a security bracelet upon admission. NICU issues a seasonal badge. This bracelet or badge identifies them as a parent/caregiver and is used to re-enter the facility when or if they leave.
Children will have a blank badge with the destination written on the badge if they do not have a state issued ID. Visitors are issued a visitor badge with their photo on it, which must be worn while in the children’s hospital.
The number of visitors allowed at any time in a patient room may be limited based on patient needs and staff access to the patient.
Guidelines by Location
- General Pediatric Units: Hours of visitation for anyone other than a primary caregiver is 8AM - 8PM.
- Children may visit the patient's room during visiting hours and should not stay overnight.
- Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Unaccompanied youth aged 16-18 years must have a state issued ID to scan through the visitor access system.
- The visitor list is determined by patient and/or family of patient.
- PICU: Same as General Pediatric Units except children should be age 12 and up to visit the patient's room during visiting hours.
- NICU: Visitation is limited to NICU parents and designated visitors.
- Designated visitors and other visitors must be at least 18 years of age.
- Visitors other than the designated visitors may visit when a parent is present.
- Sibling visitation is every Wednesday between 10AM and 10PM
- Siblings ages 2-7 years old may visit once a day for up to one hour during designated visiting hours.
- Siblings ages 8 and older may visit during designated visiting hours.
- Siblings may not spend the night in the patient's room.
- Parent(s) will always be responsible for siblings.
- Before sibling visitation, parent(s) must provide verification of current immunizations.
- A sibling Visitation/Health Screening form must be completed before visitation each day for each child.
- There can be no more than four visitors at a baby's bedside at one time. Individuals may be asked to leave the unit during procedures, as patient conditions warrant, and at the nurse's discretion.
- Pediatric Surgery Admit/Discharge (PSAD): Children are allowed in the surgery admission area with direct adult supervision. Visitors under the age of 18 years old are not allowed in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU).
- MRI/CT: Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- St. Jude Affiliate Clinic: Sibling visitation is allowed only in the exam room.
- Children's Day Hospital (CDH): Children under the age of 18 are allowed.
- Groups: All members of the visiting group should sign in at the security desk and be given visitor badges. Groups must always have an ambassador escort while visiting in the children's hospital.
- Guests for a specific unit
- Guests need prior approval to visit a specific area in the children's hospital.
- The date, time, and names of individuals that plan to visit will be given to security prior to planned date.
- When guests arrive, they will need to scan their ID through the visitor access system. The location they are visiting will be written on the visitor badge.
Inappropriate behavior or refusal to follow hospital policy and rules may result in individual(s) being asked to leave the premises.
It may be necessary to seasonally restrict visitation and change our rules based on community prevention guidelines.