Visiting Hours & Patient Visitation Rights

At Bristol Hospital we recognize the importance of support from family, loved ones and friends in the patient’s recovery process. Bristol Hospital’s visiting hours have been established to be as convenient as possible for family and friends, while providing appropriate time for patients to receive care and recover. The following are guidelines. Please know that they may be modified at any time based on specific patient needs.

Bristol Hospital ensures that all visitors enjoy visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences. Patients (or support person where appropriate) have the right to receive the visitors whom he or she designates, including, but not limited to a spouse (including a same-sex spouse), a domestic partner (including a same sex domestic partner), another family member (including same-sex parents), or a friend.
 
Bristol Hospital will not deny visitation privileges based on race, religion, ethnicity, language, culture, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. The patient is notified of their rights to have visitors and designate a “support person” of their choosing. The patient has the right to change his or her mind about such designation, in which case he or she should notify the health care provider that he or she no longer wants a particular person to visit.
 
The welfare of the patient and other patients in the hospital must always be taken into consideration. Certain restrictions may be imposed on visitation if the patient’s rest, medical treatment and/or procedures would be compromised by having visitors at any time during the patient’s hospital stay.
 
In respect for patient privacy and well-being, the number of visitors is limited to two at a time. Children under the age of 12 years must be accompanied and supervised at all times by an adult other than the patient. Children who visit must be free of communicable diseases (to the best knowledge of the adult accompanying them). Visitors should maintain a quiet environment and avoid unnecessary noise.
 
Selection of Visitors: The hospital will document the individuals who should be denied visitation as identified by the patient. In the event the patient is a minor, the legal parent of the minor shall be given the opportunity to verbally designate the individuals permitted to visit the minor patient.
 
Selection of a Support Person: A patient may verbally designate a Support Person to exercise the patient’s visitation rights on his or her behalf, should the patient be unable to do so. In the event the patient is unable to exercise his or her patient visitation rights, the Hospital shall recognize the Support Person’s verbal directive as to who should have visitation rights and who should be denied for that patient.

Our Compassionate Visitation policy is in effect.

(Policy outlined below is effective as of June 23, 2021)

Visitor Provisions

• Visitors of Bristol Hospital shall comply with all reasonable requirements imposed by the hospital to minimize the potential spread of infection and ensure safety for our patients, visitors, and staff. This includes the use of hand sanitizer upon entry of our organization, wearing of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which include the requirement of wearing a mask over their nose and mouth at all times. Those that do not follow these provisions will be asked to leave.
• All visitors need to be 18 years of age or older.
• For those wishing to send items to a patient, we will accept flowers, cards and mylar balloons (no latex).

Hospital In-Patient Units (F, G, ICU)

• Visiting hours are currently 11 am – 8 pm, seven days a week.
• We will allow one person at a time per patient.
• All visitors must be 18 years of age or older.
• Humanitarian exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Requests for exceptions should be directed to the Nursing Supervisor as they arise.
• For the ICU, visiting is restricted to immediate family members or identified Support Person – 2 at a time – who must be 12 years or older. Immediate family members or identified Support Person may visit between 11 am – 8 pm. Please note that patient rest period starts at 2 pm and ends at 4 pm daily.

Inpatient Hospice

• 1 visitor per patient.
• Visitor must be 18 years of age or older.

Center for Surgery

• Patients are allowed one support person before and after surgery.
• Visitors are allowed to wait in their designated waiting rooms or cafeteria.

Families are First Birthing Center

• Visiting hours are currently 11 am – 8 pm.
• Each patient is allowed one support person (e.g. husband, significant other, family) for unlimited visiting
• Support persons will be screened and must wear a mask and remain in the room.
• No other visitors are allowed.

Behavioral Health (Barnes)

• Visitors are being allowed for patients who have a 5+ day length of stay.
• Visitors are limited to patients who are COVID negative on the 5th day and are not a PUI for COVID.
• The visitation hours will be as follows: Monday - Friday from 6-7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 1-2pm and 6-7pm.
• One visitor allowed per patient and visitors are not allowed to swap out during visitation hour.
• All visitations must be supervised by staff and must occur in designated visiting areas. Social distancing is encouraged and visitation split into 2 rooms for large amounts of visitors.
• If you have any questions, please be sure to check with the nursing staff for guidelines.

Senior Behavioral Health Unit (SBHU)

• Visitors are being allowed for patients who have a 5+ day length of stay.
• Visitors are limited to patients who are COVID negative on the 5th day and are not a PUI for COVID.
• The visitation hours will be as follows: 12:30pm-1:30pm or 5:30pm-6:30pm 7 days a week.
• One visitor allowed per patient and visitors are not allowed to swap out during visitation hour.
• All visitations must be supervised by staff and must occur in designated visiting areas. Social distancing is encouraged and visitation split into 2 rooms for large amounts of visitors.
• If you have any questions, please be sure to check with the nursing staff for guidelines.

Emergency Center

• There are no set times for visits since visitation is based upon a 24-hour time period; all visits are solely at the discretion of the Emergency Center Team.
• We allow two visitors per patient, immediate family or identified Support Person unless specifically requested by the patient to not have them. Exceptions to be determined by ED staff.
• Humanitarian exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Requests for exceptions should be directed to the Nursing Supervisor as they arise.

Hospital Outpatient Services

• Main Hospital: Patients coming to Bristol Hospital for outpatient testing may be accompanied by one caregiver.
• GI Institute: Patients coming to Bristol Hospital for appointments at our GI Institute may be accompanied by one caregiver.
• Support persons will be screened and must wear a mask over their nose and mouth for the duration of their time at the facility.
• Humanitarian exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Requests for exceptions should be directed to the appropriate Department Director.

Perioperative Services

• Per-operative visitation is limited to two support persons.
• Post-operative visitation should be brief, quiet and pleasant to allow patients time to fully recover from anesthesia.
• Visitation in the recovery area will be determined by patient needs and defined by the patient in collaboration with the recovery room nurse.
• Visits from children under the age of 12 will be under special circumstances only and at the discretion of nursing leadership.

Special Considerations

Overnight Visitors

• Requests by patients for an overnight visitor may be accommodated if possible in a private room setting.
• After-hours visiting in semi-private rooms will be allowed under limiting circumstances at the discretion of nursing leadership.
• There may be individual patient circumstances which will require changes to these guidelines.
• Inappropriate behavior or refusal to follow Hospital policy which might compromise patient health and safety may result in visitors being asked to leave the Hospital.

Patient Visitation Rights

At Bristol Hospital we recognize the importance of support from family, loved ones and friends in the patient’s recovery process. Bristol Hospital’s visiting hours have been established to be as convenient as possible for family and friends, while providing appropriate time for patients to receive care and recover. The following are guidelines. Please know that they may be modified at any time based on specific patient needs.

Bristol Hospital ensures that all visitors enjoy visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences. Patients (or support person where appropriate) have the right to receive the visitors whom he or she designates, including, but not limited to a spouse (including a same-sex spouse), a domestic partner (including a same sex domestic partner), another family member (including same-sex parents), or a friend.
 
Bristol Hospital will not deny visitation privileges based on race, religion, ethnicity, language, culture, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. The patient is notified of their rights to have visitors and designate a “support person” of their choosing. The patient has the right to change his or her mind about such designation, in which case he or she should notify the health care provider that he or she no longer wants a particular person to visit.

As a patient at Bristol Hospital, you have the right to:

1. Designate the individuals you would like to visit you during your hospital stay including, but not limited to, family members, a spouse, a domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner) or a friend.
2. Have all designated visitors enjoy the same visitation privileges that immediate family members would enjoy;
3. Withdraw or deny your consent for certain designated visitors.
4. Receive those visitors designated by you during normal visitation hours (generally, 11:00AM until 8:00PM, but individual departments may have different visitation guidelines to ensure patient safety).
5. Designate a maximum of two (2) visitors at the bedside.
6. Not have visitation privileges restricted, limited, or otherwise denied on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, payment source, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

Please be aware that certain clinical restrictions or limitations, as outlined below, may apply to your visitation rights:

1. Visitation may be restricted for the health and safety of the patient or hospital staff, at the discretion of the hospital.
2. Visitors may be asked to leave the patient care area at any time to facilitate physician/nursing care and/or procedures.
3. Visits that are not beneficial, therapeutic or that place the patient and/or visitor at risk for infectious disease may be restricted as deemed appropriate by the patient care team.
4. Designated visitors who have experienced a fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, skin rash, vomiting or diarrhea in the 48 hour period prior to the visit may be discouraged from visiting to ensure patient and hospital staff health and safety.
5. Visitors who are disruptive or disturb patients, staff or other visitors will be asked to stop the disruptive behavior and/or may be escorted from the premises by Security if such behavior does not cease.

Designated visitors within a patient room shall be limited as indicated by the department specific guidelines in order to ensure utmost patient safety and efficient department operation. For specific visitation guidelines for your department area, please ask the nursing staff or the Department Director in your area. A copy of Bristol Hospital’s hospital-wide policy on visitation is available upon request.