Following five months of COVID-19 restrictions, the visitor policy is changing at Nebraska Medical Center and Bellevue Medical Center.
Effective Thursday both facilities are allowing one authorized visitor per patient. That person must be documented as an authorized visitor in Nebraska Medicine’s One Chart system before arriving to the hospital.
Inpatient visiting hours will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. “We made this decision because we want to make sure our patients are supported and we achieve the best outcome possible,” says Sue Nuss, chief nursing officer. “This change is not designed to open the floodgates for visitors. As much as possible, we will permit one visitor for each inpatient. And if that visitor needs relief, an alternate must be designated.”
Nebraska Medicine says the change does not impact their outpatient areas or emergency departments. Surgery patients can have a visitor after they are admitted to their room. For clinic appointments, patients are still required to arrive alone, unless they need an escort for their safety.
There are guidelines visitors will have to follow:
· Authorized visitors will be required to complete a screening upon arrival
· Any visitor experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness will not be allowed entry
· Authorized visitors must wear a mask at all times, either a personal cloth mask or a procedural mask. Gaiters, bandanas and vented masks are not allowed
· Authorized visitors must remain in the patient’s room during their visit