Via Christi announces new visitor guidelines

Beginning this week, Ascension Via Christi Pittsburg has begun allowing all inpatients to have one designated visitor per day.

Visitors will be allowed from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Each person will be pre-screened and visitors may not rotate through in order to reduce exposure.

An Ascension Via Christi Pittsburg press release states “including loved ones and caregivers in the healing process enhances our patients’ hospital stay and recovery. While each of our hospitals and units may have their own recommended guidelines, the safety of our patients, visitors, and associates will continue to be our focus.”

These guidelines are for inpatient visitors and do not include the emergency department.

Visitors are asked to:

• Check in at the screening desk at the entrance of the hospital, each time they enter the building.

• Bring a mask if they have one. Otherwise the hospital will provide one, which will be worn during the entire visit.

• Limit to one visitor per patient, per day with no changing out of visitors for that day. This is due to maintaining social distancing in the waiting room and to limit exposure. Special consideration is made for those patients on comfort care, palliative care, and end of life care. Visit with the primary RN or social worker for this exception.

• Limit movement within the hospital only to the patient’s room and restrooms, and adhere to appropriate social distancing with staff, patients and other visitors. Visitors are allowed to go to the cafeteria.

• Obtain a visitor badge at the screening desk, to be worn during the entire visit.

• Visit between the hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

• Do not sit on the patient’s bed.

• No children under 18 years of age will be allowed to visit.

• Visitors who are not feeling well should not visit the patient.

• Follow all contact precaution signs placed outside the patient’s room. This is to protect the patient, the visitor, and other patients from potential infection.

• Wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before and after visiting the patient.