MORRIS – In response to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the community, and for the safety of patients and staff, Morris Hospital has announced that children will not be permitted to visit patients at the hospital, effective Friday, Aug. 27.
In addition, anyone coming for an emergency, outpatient or office visit at any Morris Hospital facility is limited to one support person age 18 or older. This includes patients coming to the emergency department, those having an outpatient procedure, test, surgery or therapy session, immediate care and convenient care visits, and physician office visits.
“The two biggest changes we’re making right now are restricting visitors to age 18 and older and limiting the number of support persons that accompany patients during their emergency, outpatient or office visit,” said Kimberly Landers, vice president of patient care and chief nurse executive at Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers. “With COVID-19 incidents continuing to rise, it’s critical that we limit the number of people who come into the hospital and all of our facilities so that we can maintain a safe environment for our patients, staff and community. Even during normal flu season, it’s very common for us to restrict children from visiting on our inpatient units.”
For inpatient visiting at the hospital, two visitors age 18 and older are permitted at a time. Visiting hours for the 2 South and 2 East medical/surgical units are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visiting hours for the intensive care unit are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
As has been the policy since the start of the pandemic, visitors are not permitted for patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19. Special arrangements may be requested for COVID-19 patients who are 17 or younger; at end of life; or intellectually and/or developmentally disabled or diagnosed with an impairment that affects understanding, judgment or decision-making.
Patients in the family birthing suites are permitted one support person/significant other at all times. Two additional visitors age 18 or older are permitted at a time from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Per Centers for Disease Control & Prevention guidelines for health care settings, Morris Hospital continues to require masks covering the nose and mouth at all times for everyone entering the hospital or a Morris Hospital facility. When entering a Morris Hospital facility, visitors will have their temperature checked, answer questions about any current symptoms and apply hand sanitizer. Anyone who screens positive or refuses to comply will be unable to visit.
Visitors are always encouraged to review the visiting guidelines on the hospital website before coming to the hospital to visit a patient.
The hospital is posting a COVID-19 Daily Report on its website that gives the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 for the day, along with the number of COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit and the number of COVID-19 patients on a ventilator, along with the vaccination status of COVID-19 patients. An updated report is posted by 10 a.m. on weekdays.
Source: The Daily Chronicle
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