Maternal Child * ICU * Medical/Surgical * Visitation Reminders
In recent weeks, Sierra Vista Regional Health Center has made the difficult decision to place restrictions on who is able to visit patients in the hospital during flu season. Due to the risk of transmission of Seasonal and H1N1 influenza, SVRHC has implemented a restricted visitation policy. No one under the age of 18 may enter the hospital during the flu season unless they are a patient. If you need to go to the emergency room, please only bring one family member or friend to assist. This helps prevent the spread of infection.
In addition, we request you not visit anyone in the hospital if you have any of the following symptoms: Fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headaches, chills, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. This is for the safety of our patients, visitors, and staff. We appreciate your understanding. We encourage everyone to do their part to stop the spread of infection through washing your hands, covering your cough or sneeze, and getting a flu shot.
Recognizing the healing benefits of visits from family and friends, we welcome visitors at Sierra Vista Regional Health Center. We ask that no more than two persons visit at a time. We also respectfully request that you do not visit if you are ill with a fever, cold, or the flu. Visitors should not bring in any food or beverage for a patient without the physician’s approval.
So that our patients may rest and recuperate, we ask that the following guidelines be observed:
General visiting hours are 11:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., seven days a week.
•
Two support visitors during labor
• No limit to number of visitors during general visitation hours after
baby’s arrival.
• One support visitor may stay overnight with the new mom.
No one under the age of 18 allowed in the hospital during flu season unless they are a patient.
ICU:
•
Our Intensive Care unit follows the general hospital visitation hours of 11:00
a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Two visitors are allowed for 15 minutes once per hour. These guidelines
may vary according to the desires and situational needs of each patient and
family.
No one under the age of 18 allowed in the hospital during flu season unless they are a patient
Medical
Surgical Department:
•
Our Medical/Surgical rooms are semi private. So we may respect the privacy
and individual needs of all of our patients, we ask that no more than
two persons visit at one time.
• Children may have a parent stay overnight with them.
No one under the age of 18 allowed in the hospital during flu season unless they are a patient.
Sierra Vista Regional Health Center requests that when visiting patients at the hospital, family and friends should not visit if they are actively ill, according to Ann Kuhl, the hospital's Infection Control Coordinator. Kuhl also indicates if a visitor has been exposed to something infectious, he or she should also refrain from visitation.
"Many people do not understand how quickly infections are spread," Kuhl says. "It is especially serious when patients are already medically compromised, an additional infection can become quite serious."
Any visitors who have a sore throat, diarrhea, fever, cold symptoms or have been exposed to a contagious disease, such as chicken pox, within the previous two weeks should not visit anyone at the hospital.
Flu and other viruses are common at this time of year. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is especially prevalent during the winter months and poses an extreme danger to babies and young children under the age of two.
To help maintain good health, Kuhl recommends the following precautions. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick, too. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze - and dispose of the tissue afterward. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve. Wash your hands after you cough or sneeze - with soap and warm water, or an alcohol-based hand cleaner. If you get the flu, stay home from work or school. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
