NHH updates COVID-19 visitor policy
By Cecilia Nasmith
With key public-health and health-system indicators continuing to improve, an update to Northumberland Hills Hospital's COVID-19 visitor policy is being implemented following consultations with staff, physicians, infection-control specialists and members of the hospital's Patient and Family Advisory Council.
Effective immediately, in-person visiting hours at NHH return to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on all eligible inpatient units (similar to the practice introduced in the fall of 2020 and again in the summer of 2021).
The maximum daily number of visitors and essential caregivers is again limited to one person per patient per day.
Exceptions to these rules will continue as follows:
For inpatients at imminent end of life, additional visitors will be considered at the discretion of the care team.
For obstetrical patients, both birth partner and labour coach will be permitted.
For outpatients, certain exceptions are permitted. For children aged 18 and under, essential caregivers can accompany them as the come to NHH for care. For outpatient settings only, essential caregivers can accompany those with communication challenges or cognitive impairments.
All visitors and essential caregivers will continue to be require to sign in and document their contact information for contact-tracing purposes. They must also pass the screening process and agree to follow all required infection-prevention and -control practices for the duration of their time at the hospital.
As an additional precaution for vulnerable inpatients, NHH will also be piloting the use of Rapid Antigen Tests for those visiting inpatients as part of the screening process. The test will be supplied to applicable visitors, and administered on-site prior to entry. A positive result will mean the visitor or essential caregiver will be denied the visit and will be redirected to the NHH COVID-19 Clinical Assessment Centre for support, testing and assessment as appropriate.
The use of the Rapid Antigen Test is not expected to be permanent. NHH will monitor the volume of asymptomatic positive cases picked up through this proactive surveillance – together with data on the spread of COVID-19 within the hospital – and adjust the process as required.
As before, inpatients or their substitute decision makers will be responsible for selecting whom they wish in terms of a visitor or essential caregiver, and this wish will be communicated to the rest of their family and social circle in order to avoid people having to be turned away at the entrance. Inpatients or substitute decision makers for inpatients who wish to have different individuals visit on different days are asked to communicate this to their loved ones in advance.
Visiting will continue to be on hold for inpatients whose rooms are located in any unit designated by Public Health as being in COVID-19 outbreak status – and also for individuals confirmed or presumed COVID-positive. At this time, there are two COVID-19 outbreaks at NHH, both in the Post-Acute Specialty Services Area – Inpatient Rehabilitation and Restorative Care. Updates on the status of COVID-19 at NHH are updated on the hospital's website Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (https://nhh.ca./covid-19).
NHH reminds you that virtual visiting appointments continue to be worth considering if you cannot enter the hospital to see a loved one. Virtual visiting is available weekdays, and an be requested either by patients or by their family members or friends. As well, telephone appointments are available on request.
To request a virtual visiting appointment with an inpatient, contact the NHH Virtual Visiting Team at 905-372-6811 ext. 3146 or e-mail virtualconnection@nhh.ca. Your e-mail should include your preferred contact information, as well as the unit, room number and initials of the patient with whom they would like to connect. Please remember not to use the patient's full name out of privacy concerns.
For further information on visiting at NHH, including the latest visitor policy and a list of frequently asked questions, visit www.nhh.ca/Patients/VisitingGuidelines.
