Visiting a Patient or Resident

NOTE: Visiting may be impacted by COVID-19. Please see the NSHN News page for more information.

Visiting hours are flexible, however, after 11:00 am would be appreciated. If visiting extends past 8:30 pm, please inform the nurse of your arrival and departure.

Relatives and friends are encouraged to visit. Please use proper discretion when visiting patients and residents in their room, keeping in mind the noise element so as not to disturb other residents.

Family members and visitors may be asked not to visit during an infectious disease outbreak or when residents on the unit are ill. The purpose is to protect you and your family from the illness, and to limit the spread of the illness.

Family members and visitors should also not visit if they are experiencing colds, fever, vomiting or diarrhea. Children exposed to chickenpox are advised not to visit. Patients are vulnerable to these infections. 

Do not visit the hospital if you are sick or have been sick in the last week, this includes but is not limited to:

  • fever

  • new or unexplained cough

  • unexplained shortness of breath

  • diarrhea or vomiting

  • runny nose/sneezing

  • rash

**NSHN VISITING POLICIES HAVE BEEN UPDATED AS OF APRIL 1, 2023**

As the safety of patients, residents, caregivers, staff and providers is our number one priority, NSHN actively screens all visitors. For the protection of our patients and workers, please follow these directions during your visit. Your visits mean the world to our patients and residents. Thank you for helping make everyone’s visit successful and safe.

Visitors are required to follow infection prevention and control measures including: active screening, hand hygiene, and wearing a medical mask.

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT:

Emergency Department visits will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the appropriate Nursing Station for direction.

Emergency Department workers will have the discretion of restricting visitors from entering or remaining in the department if the safety of the patient and/or workers becomes a concern in relation to COVID-19 risks.

Visitors of a suspect or presumed COVID-19 positive patient will be asked to remain in the immediate bed space of the patient and will not be allowed to move around the department.

ACUTE CARE:

Visiting Hours: Visiting hours will begin after 11:00 am and conclude by 10:00 pm

Patient Visiting:

  • Length of visits is not restricted unless exceptional circumstances are mandated by Public Health Directives. 

  • Limited to 2 people at a time.

  • Visitors who are entering the facility will be subject to screening at admitting.

End of Life Patient Visiting:

  • Limited to 2-4 people at a time.

  • Unimmunized visitors will have restrictions on the number, length of visits, and PPE requirements.

COVID Positive Patients:

  • No general visiting; essential caregivers only*

  • End of life COVID positive patients will have a visiting plan developed in conjunction with the Nursing team.

  • Strict adherence to PPE requirements and MUST stay in the patients’ room during their visit.

 Unit Outbreaks:

  • No general visiting; visiting reviewed by Outbreak Management Team (OMT)


LONG-TERM CARE:

COVID-19 guidance document for long-term care homes in Ontario | ontario.ca

There are no limits on the number of visitors that a resident may visit with at a time for indoor or outdoor visits although; homes can set their own visitor policy based on available spaces and in accordance with applicable guidance and laws.

  • Visitors and essential caregivers no longer need to wear a mask at all times.  Medical masks will remain available to them upon entry, if they wish.

  • Infection prevention and control measures continue to be followed, including hand hygiene.

General visitors younger than 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult and must follow all applicable public health measures that are in place at the home.

During an outbreak LTC homes continue to be subject to public health unit (PHU) direction per the MOH COVID-19 Guidance: Long-Term Care Homes, Retirement Homes, and Other Congregate Living Settings for Public Health Units.

For more information regarding Long-Term Care Visiting Guidelines – please contact our Home at 705-356-2265 or toll-free 1-888-425-0321 ext. 2350 or 2678.

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COVID-19 Policies: What Residents Can Expect in their Long-Term Care Home

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COVID-19 Safety Measures for Absences

Essential Visitors:

Essential visitors include persons who are performing essential support services (e.g. food delivery, inspector, maintenance, or health care services (e.g. phlebotomy)) or a person visiting a very ill or palliative patient.

Essential visitors include support workers and caregivers as defined in this policy.

  • Support Workers: A support worker is a type of essential visitor who is visiting to perform essential support services for the unit or a patient on the unit.

    Examples of support workers include physicians, nurse practitioners, etc...

  •  Caregiver: A caregiver is a type of essential visitor who is designated by the patient and/or their substitute decision-maker and is visiting to provide direct care to the patient (e.g. supporting feeding, mobility, personal hygiene, cognitive stimulation, communication, meaningful connection, relational continuity and assistance in decision-making).

  • Caregiver (Emergency Department): As defined above (B. Essential Visitors ii.) but only permitted with children under 18 years of age or for patients requiring assistance with consent, safety or decision-making (e.g. critically ill, visual/hearing or cognitive impairment, language barrier, elderly or end-of-life).

 

General Visitor:

A general visitor is a person who is not an essential visitor, and;

  • To provide non-essential services, or who may or may not be hired by the hospital or the patient and/or their substitute decision-maker; and/or

  • For social reasons (e.g. family members or friends) that the patient or their substitute decision-maker assess as different from direct care, include care related to cognitive stimulation, meaningful connection and relational continuity.

General visitors younger than 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult and must follow all applicable public health measures that are in place (e.g. active screening, physical distancing, masking for source control.)