NHH updates visitor policy
By Cecilia Nasmith
With key public-health and health-system indicators continuing to improve – and key public-health guidelines being lifted March 21 – Northumberland Hills Hospital announces a further update to its COVID-19 Visitor Policy, following consultation with staff, physicians, infection-prevention specialists and members of the hospital's Patient and Family Advisory Council.
Effective Monday, visitor restrictions will be further relaxed on both in-patient units and within the Emergency Department-Short Stay Unit. Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., a daily maximum of two visitors or essential caregivers will be permitted.
The following exceptions apply:
For inpatients at imminent end-of-life, additional visitors will be considered at the discretion of the care team.
For obstetrical patients, birth partner and labour coach will be permitted.
For outpatients, essential caregivers are permitted for children (aged 18 and under) coming to the hospital for care, and also for those with communications challenges or cognitive impairments accessing outpatient-clinic services.
As in the past, inpatients or their substitute decision makers will be responsible for selecting who they wish their two daily visitors or essential caregivers to be – and for communicating that wish to the rest of their family and social circle in advance of any visit to avoid people having to be turned away at the entrance.
Visitors to those admitted to an inpatient bed are encouraged to use the main front entrance during visiting hours to minimize traffic in the Emergency Department and elsewhere in the hospital. Visitors to patients within the Emergency Department and adjacent Short Stay Unit should enter via the Emergency Department. And anyone arriving to visit outside of regular visiting hours must also use the Emergency Department.
All visitors and essential caregivers will still be required to sign in and document their contact information for purposes of contact tracing. They must pass the screening process and agree to follow all required infection-prevention and -control practices for the duration of their visit.
Another change on March 21 is the discontinuation of the Rapid Antigen Testing pilot. NHH had been administering the test as an additional temporary precaution to visitors. But in light of the very low volume of positive cases identified, and the continuing decline of cases in the community, this requirement for visitors will be lifted.
While the provincial mask mandate will be lifted in a variety of public settings Monday, it will remain at NHH – as a high-risk setting – as will such enhanced infection-control measures as mandatory vaccination for staff, physicians, midwives, contractors and volunteers.
“NHH will continue to monitor COVID-19 activity in and around our region, recognizing that we have a responsibility to provide a safe care environment for the vulnerable patients we serve – many of whom cannot wear masks – and that masks and vaccination are effective ways of protecting each other and those we serve,” the announcement said.
Visitors will continue to be provided with medical-grade masks upon entry, and will be expected to wear the masks at all times while in the hospital and within community-health offices – except when eating in the cafeteria.
Visiting will continue to be on hold for inpatients whose rooms are located in a COVID-19 hot zone that has been designated in “outbreak” status by Public Health – or confirmed or presumed positive for COVID-19. As of Friday, there were no active COVID-19 outbreaks at NHH. Previously provided on the hospital website Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, updates on the status of COVID-19 at NHH will conclude Monday, and will be communicated publicly on an ad hoc basis as required.
Virtual Visiting appointments continue to be a good alternative for those unable to enter the hospital to see a loved one, available weekdays upon request by a patient or his or her family members or friends. Telephone appointments are also available upon request.
Anyone interested in a Virtual Visit can contact the Virtual Visiting team at 905-372-6822 ext. 3146. Or send an e-mail to virtualconnections@nhh.ca and include their virtual contact information as well as the unit, room number and initials of the patient they would like to see. For confidentiality purposes, it is advised that the patient's full name should not be used anywhere int he e-mail.
For more information on visiting at NHH, including the COVID-19 Visitor Policy and a list of Frequently Asked Questions, visit www.nhh.ca/Patients/VisitingGuidelines.
