INPATIENT SERVICES (EPH/PATH/PCC/BEACH/SRT) VISITATION TO UNITS
April 2022
Client visiting hours are established for each unit. Exceptions may be approved by the Nurse Manager, Director of Nursing, Inpatient Director, or attending physician or APRN. It shall be the goal of the unit to protect the privacy of clients and the safety of visitors while providing clients with appropriate contact with family, friends, and significant others without interfering with ongoing treatment or unit activities.
Visiting hours for all units are as follows:
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Sat./Sun./Holidays
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Sat./Sun./Holidays
To ensure that contraband or potentially harmful objects are not brought into the facility, all personal belongings of the visitor (e.g. purse, bags, cell phones, food, etc.) must be left in their personal vehicle; if a personal vehicle is not available (e.g., they arrived via public transportation) such items must be placed in an available locker in the visitor’s lobby.
Visitors will be screened by a staff member from the unit, and/or by the receptionist, in the lobby (Visitors’ Entrance). Packages, clothes, and other items brought in by the visitor for the client will be inspected prior to entering the program, and these articles will be entered into the client’s inventory of personal belongings. Clients may not be given medication or food by visitors.
Prior to entering the unit, the visitor shall be required to sign-in on the Visitor’s Log and be issued a “Visitor” badge or “Visitor” label. The visitation rules will be explained to the visitors by the responsible staff. Any infection control or safety/hazard precautions in place will be explained to the visitor and instructions provided by nursing staff. The visitor will be escorted into the program and supervised/ accompanied at all times.
Only one (1) visitor may be allowed to visit any one client at a time unless approved by the charge nurse. A time limit of 15 minutes per visitor is allowed. This may be extended in accordance with staff availability and client request
Visitation must comply with the facility rules including the following:
- Masks must be worn by all clients, visitors, and staff in attendance.
- Visitors must have their temperature assessed and answer the exposure questions upon arrival. Any outliers to this process will be reported to the charge nurse or nurse manager for assessment.
The nurse manager on duty may limit the visits at any time if there is a disruption in the program unit, or if the visit is disruptive to the therapeutic milieu.
Physical contact between visitors and the client is allowed to the extent that such behavior would be acceptable in public (e.g., holding hands, hugging). Physical contact as would generally occur in private is not allowed within the program unit or during visitation.
Upon completion of the visit, the visitor is required to sign out. The individual will be escorted out of the building by a designated staff member.
Immediate Access to clients for Legal Counsel/Guardian Advocate/Clergy/Immediate Family:
Visits from a court representative, a client’s attorney, Guardian, Guardian Advocate, or another person whose intended communication involves matters which are or may be the subject of legal inquiry will not be limited, as required by the law (s.394 F.S.). Non-emergency visits of all such persons may be limited to a reasonable time if the visit does not seriously impair the effective functioning of the unit or the patient. “Legal inquiry” includes any matter concerning civil, criminal, or administrative law. Prompt access to clergy, physicians, or legal counsel shall be ensured.
Legal counsel and personal clergy visiting clients will be escorted to the visitor’s room to ensure the client’s privacy and right to confidentiality.
At times, immediate family members (parents, children, siblings, spouse) may not be able to visit during normal visiting hours for various reasons. When this is the case, they may be granted access to the client via the use of the visitation rooms or Skype with approval from the MD or APRN.