Flu Season Hospitalization, Outpatient and Visitor Guidelines

October 13, 2009

Because of increasing flu activity in our community and the risk of transmission from visitors to patients and staff, visitor restrictions are in effect.

These restrictions are intended to protect the health of our patients, their families and our staff.

This H1N1 flu is different from the regular flu because it targets young people. People can be contagious with an illness before they show signs or symptoms of being sick.

Please review the following restrictions and share this information with your family and friends. Our intent is to protect you and your child’s health.

• Only parents/guardians or other principle care-givers may visit patients on the inpatient units; No more than two visitors per patient should be in patient rooms at any one time.
• Limited visits by siblings or others because of special circumstances may be arranged in advance with our nursing staf
• Only children seeking evaluation or treatment should be brought to the hospital
• Patients in public waiting areas must be supervised at all times. Outpatients and families are not to visit anyone & may only be in the outpatient clinic area and cafeteria.
• All visitors should be healthy
• A fever above 100° F and any of the following: extreme tiredness, chills, headache, muscle aches, sore throat, stuffy head/congestion, vomiting or diarrhea may represent an infection that they may spread
• Persons who have recently been ill (as above) should not visit unless they have been symptom free for at least 24 hours
• Persons from households where others are ill (as above) should be alerted to watch for signs of illness in themselves. If they become ill, they should leave promptly.