GUIDELINES FOR HOSPITAL VISITING

All individuals visiting patients in the hospital must adhere to the following

Visiting hours are unrestricted for parents/guardians.  They may visit every day and are encouraged to spend as much time as possible with their child whilst in the hospital.

Visitor Restrictions For Families

Your Child is An Inpatient

Two parents/guardians (without symptoms of COVID-19) will be issued with Visiting Cards when their child is admitted and must present the cards to gain entry to the hospital. Both parents/guardians are allowed to be with their child at the same time during their hospital stay. Unfortunately, siblings are unable to attend the hospital at this time in the place of a parent/guardian.

Your Child is Attending our Emergency Department, Outpatients or Day Case Settings

To protect our patients/parents/guardians and staff only one parent/guardian without symptoms of COVID 19 will be allowed to be with their child during their hospital visit/appointment to ED, OPD or Day Care. Unfortunately due to space limitations in these settings, we are unable to facilitate two parents/guardians at the same time. Siblings are not able to visit and there is a robust Visitor Card system in place.

Exceptions will always be considered as previous, under compassionate or special circumstances.

Please do not attend if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, are a close contact or are awaiting a COVID-19 swab result. All visitors must wear a face mask at all times. While we understand that these measures will be difficult for some families, our priority is the safety of all CHI patients, families and staff.

If a child 9 years old and over, or their parent/guardian, is not in a position to wear a face covering they should contact the hospital in advance of attending a scheduled appointment.

The Visiting Guidelines at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street, have been developed to protect your child, your family and other visitors.  Please ask your relatives and friends to comply with the Guidelines.

Visiting Times

• Normal Visiting times are between 0800hrs – 2100hrs daily.
• The above time restrictions do not apply to Parents/Guardians staying in the hospital overnight.
• Visiting is restricted during times of quiet periods for patient rest, mealtimes and cleaning of rooms.
• Visits outside of the normal visiting times should only take place if there are special circumstances and this is agreed with the Clinical Nurse Manager in charge.
• Visiting is restricted in all Paediatric Intensive Care Areas and you should contact the child’s parent/guardian directly who will consult the Clinical Nurse Manager.
• To prevent the risk of infection to children in hospital, all individuals are prohibited from visiting if they are suffering from or have been in contact with any kind of suspected infectious complaint e.g. measles, diarrhoea, vomiting, sore throat, flu. If there is any such risk the individual must first consult with the Clinical Nurse Manager in charge on the ward before visiting a child.

Parents / Guardians

• Parents/Guardians may visit every day and are encouraged to spend as much time as possible with their child while he/she is in hospital.
• Parents/Guardians should indicate to the Clinical Nurse Manager in charge the identity of likely visitors their child may receive.
• CHI at Temple Street recognises that sometimes both parents/guardians need to be present overnight but only one parent/guardian is permitted to remain in the patients room.  The other parent/guardian can avail of Parent Accommodation on site.
• Child patients can only leave their ward once accompanied by a Parent/Guardian. The Parent/Guardian must inform the Clinical Nurse Manager in charge before taking a child patient out of the ward.

Child Visitors

Please note that this guideline is currently on hold to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

• Young children aged 16 years or under must be accompanied by an adult. This adult is responsible for the control, care and safety of the visiting child/children. Young children must not be left unsupervised.
• It is not permitted for children under 16 years of age to supervise a patient in the absence of parents/guardians.
• Child visitors are limited to two persons at any one time.

Relatives / Friends / Carers

Please note that this guideline is currently on hold to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

• Brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, carers and significant friends of the child, may visit for short periods of time at the discretion of the Clinical Nurse Manager in charge on the ward.
• Where the patient lives in residential care or has special needs, carers and teachers may play a very big role in their day to day care.  Decisions with regards to visiting needs will be made on a individual basis with the Clinical Nurse Manager in charge.

OUR EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS AND VISITORS:

 All visitors are asked to help the hospital staff to help those in our care by adhering to the following:

• Use hand rub provided as you enter and leave the ward/unit.
• Adhere with isolation policies and signage.
• Please refrain from touching patient’s dressings, drips, catheter etc. yourself. If you have a concern/ query ask the staff nurse or clinical nurse manager.
• Help keep our hospital clean and inform staff of any cleaning concerns.
• Do not visit the hospital if you are unwell as you may be an infection risk to patients and others.
• Always enter and exit the hospital through the main entrance doors during opening hours or the Emergency Department entrance after 6.00pm.
• Ensure visiting children are supervised at all times.
• Be responsible for the safety and security of your own belongings. The Hospital Management takes no responsibility for loss of personal property while in the hospital.
• Photographing and filming of children within the hospital is only permitted by the parent/guardian of the child or with consent from the parent/guardian. When/if parents/guardians are photographing their own child, they must ensure no other child is captured in the photograph.
• Do not access unauthorised areas.
• Consider other patients’ need for rest and privacy.
• Have consideration for staff doing their job.
• Comply with any requests to leave the patient’s room to facilitate care.
• Observe confidentiality – visitors may see or hear things of a private and confidential nature.
• Do not sit or lie on beds – empty beds have been decontaminated for use by new patients.
• Do not visit while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, as admission will be refused.
• Respect for all members of staff (including security staff/others) who are enforcing this hospital visiting policy.
• Visitors will be required to comply fully with visiting restrictions at ward level or at a hospital level for infection control reasons.
• Parents/guardians staying overnight are to ensure that lights and other electrical equipment are turned off at 10.00pm.
• Inappropriate language or behaviour may result in visitors being asked to leave.