Last Updated: Monday, May 15, 2023 at 8:30am
VISITATION AT ATLANTIC HEALTH SYSTEM HOSPITALS IS CURRENTLY PERMITTED WITH SOME LIMITATIONS.
As we continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of patients, visitors, essential caregivers, support persons and health care professionals, Atlantic Health System has implemented the following requirements:
- Visiting hours are from 10:00am to 8:00pm, but may vary by location or department.
- Visitors must be 12 years of age or older except in rare exceptions as determined by the facility.
- Children under 18 years of age must always be accompanied by an adult while visiting the hospital.
- For patients confirmed with COVID-19, patients quarantined for COVID-19, or patients under investigation for COVID-19 visiting hours are from 1:00pm to 8:00pm.
- These visitors must be 18 years of age or older.
- Visitors are encouraged to limit the visitation to two hours for this patient population.
- Visitors to the maternity care and pediatric departments must be 18 years of age or older, except in rare circumstances as determined by the medical center.
- Visitors and patients are required to wear disposable face masks in all areas of the emergency department, including waiting areas.
- Visitors and patients will be encouraged, but not required, to wear a disposable face mask when interacting with other patients, Atlantic Health team members and clinicians within Atlantic Health hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, urgent care locations and physician practices.
- Patients exhibiting respiratory symptoms will be requested to wear masks, if tolerated.
If physical distancing can be maintained, visitors will be permitted with the following:
Adult Inpatients
- Two visitors are permitted at a time. Visitors may change throughout the day.
- For patients in end-of-life care: additional visitors are permitted with administrative approval. Visitors may change throughout the day.
- For patients confirmed with COVID-19, quarantined for COVID-19, or under investigation for COVID-19: one unique visitor. The visitor does not need to be the same person for the duration of the patient’s stay.
- The number of visitors for a patient confirmed with COVID-19, quarantined for COVID-19, or under investigation for COVID-19 at end of life will be determined by the nursing unit and providers.
- Please call the unit prior to visiting.
Behavioral Health Patients
- Morristown Medical Center
- Visitors are not permitted at this time.
- Overlook Medical Center
- Permission may be requested for one unique visitor during the patient’s stay.
- Visiting hours are between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
- Permission to visit is granted at the discretion of the care team, including time and duration of visit.
- Approval to visit must be given in advance by the physician or care team.
- Visitation for a patient confirmed with COVID-19, quarantined for COVID-19, or under investigation for COVID-19 is not permitted at this time.
- Newton Medical Center
- Permission may be requested for one unique visitor during the patient’s stay.
- Visiting hours are between 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
- Permission to visit is granted at the discretion of the care team, including time and duration of visit.
- Approval to visit must be given in advance by the physician or care team.
- One unique visitor for a patient confirmed with COVID-19, quarantined for COVID-19, or under investigation for COVID-19. Visitor does need to be the same person for the duration of the patient’s stay.
Emergency Department Patients
- Two visitors are permitted to accompany an adult patient for an emergency department visit.
- Two parents or guardians of a pediatric patient are allowed.
- One unique visitor for a patient confirmed with COVID-19, quarantined for COVID-19, or under investigation for COVID-19.
- Visitor must be the same person for the duration of the patient’s stay.
We aim to maintain the emergency department visitation guidelines described above. However, when the emergency department is caring for an unusually high number of patients, we will adjust to prevent overcrowding and maintain safety for all.
When there is an increased number of patients in the emergency department, visitation may be temporarily reduced to one (1) visitor/caregiver/support person per adult patient.
When you arrive at the emergency department, a team member will inform you of current visitation status.
Immunosuppressed Patients
No visitors are permitted, except in the cases below:
- One parent or one guardian of pediatric patients is permitted for the duration of the child’s stay.
- One visitor, who must be the same person, is permitted for patients receiving end-of-life care.
- Additional exceptions may apply to pediatrics, labor and delivery, end of life, and patients with intellectual, developmental or cognitive impairment including dementia, communication barriers or behavioral concerns. These require approval by the physician or care team.
Maternity Care Patients
- One designated support person is permitted during labor and delivery. This person will be given a special wrist band and may remain with the mother throughout her stay.
- One certified doula will be allowed during labor and delivery. This must be the same doula for the duration of the mother’s stay.
- In addition to the designated support person and certified doula, one additional support person is allowed during labor and delivery but will not be permitted in the operating room.
- Two visitors will be allowed, space permitting, in the mother-baby unit during regular visiting hours. These do not need to be the same people for the duration of the mother’s stay. The designated support person is not considered a visitor.
- Two unique visitors are permitted for a patient confirmed with COVID-19, quarantined for COVID-19, or under investigation for COVID-19. Visitors do not need to be the same people for the duration of the patient’s stay.
- Siblings of the newborn are allowed to visit between 10:00am - 8:00pm with an adult (visitor or support person) on the mother-baby unit only. The adult or parent accompanying the siblings must sign an attestation stating that the visiting siblings are healthy and free of any respiratory illness symptoms. Siblings of the newborn are the only children under 18 years old allowed to visit the Maternity Center.
Surgery or Procedure Patients
The medical center may adjust visitor and support person restrictions as needed based on patient volume and other environmental factors.
- Up to two adult visitors will be permitted to accompany the patient to the procedural waiting room, based on space availability.
- Pre-operative holding area:
- Pediatric patients: up to two adult visitors at the bedside
- Adult patients: if indicated, one adult visitor at the bedside
- All requests are subject to review and accommodations can be made by the care team as warranted.
- Procedural suite for pediatric patients: One parent, wearing proper surgical attire, may accompany the child into the procedural suite until the induction of anesthesia. This process will be managed by the health care team at the discretion of the anesthesiologist.
- Post-anesthesia care unit/cardiac post-anesthesia care unit: Arrangements will be made with the patient and family to honor specific requests.
- If social distancing can be maintained, the support persons may be present to review discharge instructions.
Pediatric Patients
Support People
- A total of four support people (>18 years old) can be identified for the hospitalization. This includes parent(s) or guardian(s). If the hospitalization is longer than 14 days, the identified support people can be changed for another 14 day period but cannot exceed four.
- Two support people may be with the child during visiting hours. Exceptions can be granted on a case-by-case basis.
- One support person may remain with the child overnight.
Sibling Visitation
- Siblings over the age of 12 will be allowed visitation. Siblings under 12 years will be approved on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, parents will need to sign an attestation verifying the name(s) and age(s) of the sibling visitor(s) as well as verifying the sibling(s) is/are respiratory symptom and fever free.
NICU
- The NICU designates the two parents or caregivers with wristbands associated with their baby.
- Banded individuals may stay overnight (24/7) in both the Morristown and Overlook neonatal intensive care units (NICU).
- Once the mother is discharged, visiting hours for the baby are 8:00am - 10:00pm. One banded individual may stay overnight.
- Visitors (including siblings 12 years of age and older) may visit with a banded individual.
- Visitation is limited to two people at the bedside (must include one banded individual).
- All NICU visitors must follow visitation protocols, including screening at the main entrance.
Support Person During Hospital Discharge
- To support our patients and their caregivers, a support person may be present to review discharge instructions and education as long as social distancing can be achieved
Exceptions may be made for patients receiving compassionate end-of-life care, pediatric patients, and caregivers for patients with special needs, which may include intellectual, developmental or cognitive impairment including dementia, communication barriers or behavioral concerns. Patients will be asked to provide contact information for a family member or support person who will receive updates on their care.
General Guidelines for Visitors and Support Persons:
- Visitation is not permitted for those who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 10 days or have a pending COVID Test due to COVID symptoms or exposure or have COVID-19 symptoms.
- Visitors must use the thermal scanner to confirm that they do not have a fever.
- Visitors should perform hand hygiene using the hand sanitizer located at the entrance, in the patient’s room and throughout the hospital. Visitors should always clean their hands immediately before and after interacting with a patient.
- Those visiting someone with COVID-19, must stop at the desk on the unit for additional instructions to ensure their safety.
- All visitors must be 12 years of age or older except for the rare exception as determined by the facility. Children under 18 years of age must always be accompanied by an adult while visiting the hospital.
- Visitors to our maternity care and pediatric departments must be 18 years of age or older, except in rare circumstances as determined by the medical center.
- Visitors and patients are required to wear disposable face masks in all areas of the emergency department, including waiting areas.
- Visitors and patients will be encouraged, but not required, to wear a disposable face mask when interacting with other patients, Atlantic Health System team members and clinicians within Atlantic Health System hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, urgent care locations and physician practices.
- Patients exhibiting respiratory symptoms will be requested to wear masks, if tolerated.
- Disposable face masks will be provided to visitors upon their request.
- Visitors are asked to remain in the patient’s room or emergency department bay unless otherwise directed by an Atlantic Health System team member. Visitors may use designated eating locations within the medical center and other amenities available to patients or visitors.
- Visitors for a patient confirmed with COVID-19, quarantined for COVID-19, or under investigation for COVID-19 will be required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) in the patient rooms to include a KN95. Visitors will be provided an educational handout with instructions on how to put on and take off PPE. When the unit activity level increases significantly beyond normal levels or the hospital experiences a COVID surge, hospital leadership may restrict visitation to COVID positive, persons under investigation or quarantined patients.
- An essential caregiver or support person is an individual who was previously activity engaged with the patient or is committed to assisting and encouraging activities of daily living and other care needs. An essential caregiver/support person is not considered a visitor. Visitors will be allowed addition to essential caregivers and support persons.