Visitors welcomed back to Niagara Health hospitals
Organization executive says visitors play important role in patient recovery
Niagara Health will soon begin welcoming some visitors back into hospitals, after months of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, some conditions will remain as local hospitals gradually reopen their doors to the friends and family of patients.
It was exciting news for patients to learn they’d soon be seeing their loved ones again after months of relying on phone calls and video chats to stay in touch, said Derek Mcnally, executive vice-president clinical services and chief nursing executive.
“We’re so pleased about welcoming visitors back for in-patients across all of our sites,” Mcnally said. “It has just been such a long time.”
Mcnally said hospital staff recognize the important role visitors play in supporting patients.
“It’s scary for (patients) as well, coming in and not having any support,” he said, adding the interaction between patients and the people whom they care about is a “very important” part of their recovery.
“We have tremendous staff and we try to provide extraordinary care for patients every time. But you can imagine if you’re in hospital and none
of your family can come and visit you, and all you can do is talk to them on the phone or Facetime or something,” Mcnally said.
Although hospital staff worked to help patients stay in touch with their loved ones remotely, he said it not the same as a personal visit.
However, Mcnally said, the health and safety of patients, staff and physicians remains top priority for Niagara Health and some restriction on visitors remain in place.
Starting Monday, patients who have been admitted to the hospital will be permitted one visitor at a time at all Niagara Health hospital sites, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Visitors must be screened before being permitted into the hospital, and signs will be posted directing them to screening stations.
All visitors must enter through main hospital entrances at the St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland sites, and through the Urgent Care Centre entrances when visiting patients at the Port Colborne and Fort Erie’s Douglas Memorial sites.
Visitors also must be 18 years of age or older, bring their own mask and wear it at all times while in the hospital, follow infection prevention and control measures including meticulous hand hygiene and physical distancing throughout their stay, and limit their movement while in the hospital to only the patient’s room.
Visitors are permitted to bring food with them during their visits, but it must be eaten within the patient’s room and no food can be left behind.
Mcnally said changes have been put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and as a result the facilities will “look very different than they did probably when people were last in.”
People visiting hospitals for outpatient services as well as emergency departments and urgent care centres are asked to come alone, and hospital staff are available to help if needed.
Patients with extenuating circumstances are advised to contact their care provider, and anyone accompanying a patient to an appointment must be preapproved, at least 18 years old and pass screening.
Exceptions to visitor limits will be considered on a case-bycase basis for compassionate reasons, as well as for obstetrics, pediatric and neonatal intensive care units.
Other exceptions may be considered by hospital staff.
Mcnally said the lifting of visitor restrictions will be reviewed in the days to come, but “right now, we have to do this in a gradual way to ensure the safety of everyone.”
“I’m sure as time goes on we will broaden the hours of visitation,” he said.