Visiting Hours at Carle Foundation Hospital
Visitor policies are in place to help ensure a safe, trusted and comfortable care environment for all patients, visitors and medical staff.Hospital visiting hours are generally from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m., but nursing units have the ability to customize patient visitation based on a patient's condition and individual needs. Please speak with your loved one’s nurse to discuss a customized visitation schedule. Patients may request that visitors not be allowed by speaking with their nurse.
General visitor guidelines:
- Visitors must be the patient's parent or be 14 years or older.
- All visitors must be healthy with no symptoms of COVID, cold, flu or other illness.
Note: the following guidelines may change based on patient status.
COVID Positive Patients - We encourage virtual visits but will allow visits with precautions as desired by the patient/family.
Emergency Department – One support person at a time per patient is permitted to visit. May switch out as desired.
Intensive Care Unit – Two support persons at a time during visiting hours, one of which may stay overnight.
Semi-private rooms - One support person at a time, with some exceptions.
Medical-Surgical – Two support person at a time during visiting hours, with some exceptions. Support person may stay overnight.
Labor and Delivery, Postpartum -
- Support persons are limited to three adults at a time.
- Only one visitor (age 18 or over) may stay overnight.
- Siblings of the newborn may visit if they have an adult, other than the patient, with them at all times. Siblings may not stay overnight.
Pediatrics/Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) –
- Two (2) caregivers at the bedside 0700-2100.
- Siblings (any age) may visit between 0700-2100.
- One (1) caregiver may spend the night.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)/Level 3 Nursery –
- A parent may choose up to four (4) support people aged 18 and over. Switching of these roles should not occur and will be considered only by the manager or designee.
- These support individuals receive a green ID badge that must always be visible while in the unit.
- Visiting hours for green badge visitors are 0900-2100.
- Siblings ages three (3) and up* may visit the NICU for 30 minutes or less between 0900 and 1900.
- A second adult must be present and free at all times during sibling visits in case an emergency arises or the child is asked to leave the bedside.
Inpatient Rehab – During visiting hours, one support person at a time is allowed to visit the patient. An overnight guest is permitted if aligned with therapy plan.
End-of-life – Four support persons are allowed at the patient’s bedside 24 hours a day.
- Support persons may rotate who is visiting the patient, but they must exit the building before new visitors enter.
- Children with a close relationship to the dying patient may be allowed to enter, but only when accompanied by another adult family member.
Procedures – Two support persons are allowed in the operating room (OR) waiting room, both of which are allowed to visit the patient before their procedure.
Waiting rooms - Except for the Surgical Services waiting room, all waiting rooms remain closed to visitors.
Vendor access is limited to those necessary for patient care.