Safety Protocols for All Visits

• All parents/guardians accompanying children must be free of signs and symptoms of infectious disease, including cough, runny nose, rash, vomiting and fever. Please notify the medical provider caring for your child if you or anyone else in the home has a fever, cough, rash, shortness of breath, or any other sign of respiratory infection.
• Please remember to wash your hands or use alcohol gel frequently during your visit.

For Inpatient Visits

• Parents or guardians are welcome to be with hospitalized patients at all times. Family and friends are encouraged to visit between 9 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. The number of visitors should be limited to no more than four at a time in most units to enable patients to rest.
• During flu season, and when the incidence or respiratory illness in the community is high, visitors are restricted to parents, healthy siblings and other designated visitors.
• No one experiencing symptoms of illness should visit the hospital. Please check with your child's care unit for any special policies that may apply.

For Emergency Room, Urgent Care, Radiology and Diagnostic Services

• For the safety of all, we are limiting the number of people within exam spaces and in diagnostic areas.
• A maximum of two primary caregivers can accompany a patient for any of the above services.
• Additional family members may take turns within the exam room, but only two may be in the room at a time.

For Rehabilitation Services

• For the safety of all in our shared rehabilitation service gyms, we ask that only one primary caregiver accompany a patient to an appointment.

For Ambulatory Surgery Visits

• Only two visitors can accompany the patient. Only one of these is permitted at the bedside at a time, while the other waits in the waiting room. The two can alternate at the bedside. No one under the age of 18 is permitted.

For Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Visits

Due to this risk and the increase in upper respiratory infections in our community during the winter season, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has modified its visitation policy. During this time, November 1 through March 31, we ask that only parents/guardians and grandparents visit patients in the NICU.

• Please cooperate with unit screening procedures. A form may be filled out that helps screen for infectious diseases.
• Parents must wear visitor ID.
• Parents must be free of cold or “flu symptoms.”
• Visitors to the NICU are strongly encouraged to receive influenza vaccine.
• Please notify the nurse caring for your child if you or anyone else in the home has a fever, cough, or any other sign of infection.
• Remember to wash your hands or use alcohol gel frequently during your visit.

We apologize for the any inconvenience and thank you for partnering with us in providing your child the best possible care and protection.