Visiting Hours: About our Visitation Policy
Inova offers "open visiting hours" to its patients, meaning there are no specific times family and friends can visit. Our patient-centered philosophy states that the patient determines who visits and when they visit. We believe surrounding our patients with the people who matter most is important to the healing process.
Patient Care Companion (PCC)
Each patient may select a Patient Care Companion (PCC) who is not considered a visitor. The PCC may have around the clock access to the patient.
Children Visiting a Patient
Children are welcome to visit an inpatient unit, excluding Family Centered Care, if they are healthy and supervised at all times by an adult other than the patient. Some exceptions may apply depending on the patient’s condition.
Visiting a Patient During Overnight Hours
Visitors who arrive between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. will need to register with Security and provide photo identification for a visitor’s badge.
- At Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, the Main Entrance is the entrance point for all visitors during these overnight hours
If you would like a companion to spend the night, please ask your nurse for specific information related to this request. Also, please note that overnight guests will not be permitted in semi-private rooms. Exceptions will be considered in certain situations.
Visitor Hand Hygiene Routine
To keep our patients safe and to prevent the spread of infections, we require our staff and visitors to practice good hand hygiene. When visiting, please wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before entering and upon exiting the patient’s room. Additionally, if you are ill please wait until you are well before coming to visit. The health of all patients and visitors is our top priority.
Additional Visitation Guidelines
Even with an open visitation policy, there are times when visitors may be asked to step out of the room so private care can be provided. In addition, if the patient you are visiting has a roommate, there may be times when the roommate requests privacy and all visitors may need to leave the room. Our #1 priority is care and safety of our patients. Your cooperation during these momentary visitation interruptions is appreciated.
The clinical team and Security have the right to make decisions regarding visitation when the safety and security of patients, visitors or staff is at risk.
A few visitation guidelines for specific hospital units are outlined below.
Pediatrics
- Parents of pediatric patients are encouraged to stay overnight in the child’s room
- If necessary, parents may also designate a companion or visitor who may be able to stay at the child’s bedside
- As long as the child is not in isolation, healthy siblings and young friends may visit
- Visiting children must be supervised at all times
Maternal-Child Nursing/Family Centered Care (FCC) Visiting Information:
- Visitation hours begin at 9 a.m. and end at 9 p.m. After 9 p.m. all visitors, including siblings, must leave
- Patients may have up to 5 visitors (a significant other/support person plus 4 others, including siblings)
- A doula is not considered a visitor
- Mothers are encouraged to take advantage of Serenity Hours. Any loud or disruptive visitors may be asked to leave
- No children under the age of 12, other than siblings of a newborn, may visit due to the immature immune system of newborns
- Siblings are encouraged to visit if they are free of illness and supervised at all times by an adult other than the patient. All siblings must leave by 9 p.m. and are not permitted to sleep in the patient's room overnight
- Special requests or considerations that affect visitation will be addressed
Critical Care
- The healthcare team may have special requests for visitation limitations when the patient is unstable, is having a procedure or requires a limited number of visitors because of the severity of illness
Rehabilitation and Behavioral Health units
- Before visiting a patient in either the Rehabilitation Unit or the Behavioral Health Unit, please check in with the nursing staff. Occasionally, visitation might be limited to avoid excess patient stimulation or to avoid a conflict with a scheduled therapy session
Oncology
- The healthcare team may have special requests for visitation limitations if the patient is unstable, is having a procedure or necessitates a limited number of visitors due to the severity of illness
- Children under 12 should not visit neutropenic, leukemia or bone marrow transplant patients due to protective isolation requirements
- Please do not bring fresh flowers or live plants to an Oncology patient’s room
