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PATIENTS & VISITORS

Visiting a patient?

Are you visiting a patient? Here are the policies and regulations currently in place at Cookeville Regional Medical Center.

All visitors must follow these guidelines:

Labor and Delivery Patients: Visitation is set by the patient and supported by staff. Only one visitor may stay the night with patients; exceptions may be made under certain circumstances at the discretion of the unit director, provider and/or clinical coordinator. Children may not be left unattended with the patient when another care giver is not present. The number of visitors in the room at any given time cannot compromise safety and is limited at the discretion of staff and providers.

Same Day Surgery Unit: Due to the size of the rooms, only two (2) visitors per patient are allowed. Any visitors for patients in the Procedure Room are to wait in the Surgery Waiting area if the patient has not been assigned to a SDCU bed.

Emergency Room: Visitors in the ER are limited to one (1) visitor unless physician/nursing staff approves variability.

VISITATION

Updated January 4, 2024:

Due to the increase in COVID hospitalizations and increasing numbers of both flu and COVID in the community, Cookeville Regional Medical Center (CRMC) will restrict visitors under the age of 16 and anyone exhibiting signs of illness (fever, cough, congestion, stomach upset) except for those seeking medical care. Siblings of newborns in the Birthing Center and other special circumstances at the discretion of the unit director/charge nurse may visit if well.

Approved visitors may visit a patient on the patient floor during established visiting hours. The number of visitors for a patient may be limited based on the condition of the patient. The patient’s physician may restrict
the number of visitors or visiting hours at their discretion. Visitation will not be determined on the basis
of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

I.     VISITING HOURS

Visiting hours at Cookeville Regional Medical Center shall be observed as follows:

  1. General Units 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. unless otherwise permitted by physician or nursing staff.  One support person of the patient’s choice will be allowed to remain with the patient 24 hours a day. During certain times of the year, visitation may be restricted due to the risk of spreading infectious diseases such as Influenza during the flu season. Children must remain under adult supervision at all times in the public waiting areas of the hospital or in the patient room when visiting.
  2. Restricted Areas are:
    1. Labor & Delivery/Post-Partum: Visitation is set by the patient and supported by staff. Only one visitor may stay the night with patients; exceptions may be made under certain circumstances at the discretion of the unit director, provider and/or clinical coordinator. Children may not be left unattended with the patient when another care giver is not present. The number of visitors in the room at any given time cannot compromise safety and is limited at the discretion of staff and providers.
    2. Nursery: Visitation is limited to a maximum of 2 people over the age of 2; exceptions may be made at the discretion of the unit director/nursing supervisor. Visitors must be free of signs and symptoms of illness (including but not limited to fever or cough). 1 visitor must have a matching band to the baby. Visitors cannot compromise safety or care of the patient and may be limited at the discretion of staff and providers
    3. Same Day Surgery Unit (SDSU): Due to the size of the rooms, only two (2) visitors per patient are allowed. Any visitors for patients in the Procedure Room are to wait in the Surgery Waiting area if the patient has not been assigned to a SDCU bed.
    4. Emergency Room: Visitors in the ER are limited to one (1) visitor unless physician/nursing staff approves variability.
    5. ICU: One support person of the patient’s choice will be allowed to remain with the patient 24 hours a day to provide emotional and social support. Two additional visitors may visit from the hours of 7:30 am-6:30 pm and 7:30 pm-9:00 pm. Three visitors is the maximum the rooms will accommodate and still allow us to care for patients. Additional visitors may remain in the larger ICU waiting room. All visitors will check in at the nurses’ station and receive a visitor badge that is to be worn during the visit to the patient. Visiting hours may be altered due to extenuating circumstances and/or patient condition.
    6. CVICU: One support person of the patient’s choice will be allowed to remain with the patient 24 hours a day to provide emotional and social support. Two additional visitors may visit from the hours of 7:30 am-2:00 pm, 4:00 pm-6:30 pm and 7:30 pm-9:00 pm. Three visitors is the maximum the rooms will accommodate and still allow us to care for patients. Additional visitors may remain in the waiting room. As circumstances necessitate, visiting hours may be changed to or omitted in order to provide essential care for our patients.
    7. Cancer Center: One support person over the age of 18 will be allowed to accompany the patient to clinic and infusion appointments.  Exceptions may be made based on patients circumstances by Cancer Center staff.  If a patient arrives with a child, unaware of the policy, Cancer Center staff will make every attempt to ensure the patient is seen by the provider. Any additional visitors are welcome to remain in the Cancer Center waiting room. Cancer Center may allow changes to the visitor policy at any given time based on needs/circumstances.

CHILDREN

Children must remain under adult supervision at all times in the public waiting areas of the hospital or in the patient room when visiting. During certain times of the year, visitation may be restricted due to the risk of spreading infectious diseases such as influenza during the flu season.

I.  CONTROLLED AREAS

  1. Physicians reserve the right to deny visitation by children and/or adults for the health of their patient(s).
  2. Visitors are prohibited from entering patients’ rooms when signs are posted requesting no visitors, as it may be part of the treatment ordered by the patient’s physician.
  3. Due to fire and safety regulations, visitors are prohibited from convening in hallways and walkways.
  4. Any visitor entering the facility after 9:00 pm must enter through the Emergency Department (“ED”) Lobby. If the visitor wishes to visit an area other than the ED, they must enter through the east lobby, be signed in by a security officer and be issued a visitor badge with a 24 hour expiration date. This is known as the ePass System.

II. PATIENT VISITATION RIGHTS

  1. The patient has the right to choose who may visit them.
  2. The patient has the right to withdraw visitation consent at any time.
  3. The patient’s visitation wishes may be in his or her advance directive.

DESIGNATE ONE FAMILY MEMBER TO BE THE PATIENT CONTACT

The patient or family should designate one contact person within the family for patient updates. The patient’s nurse will call that contact person daily with an update between 2–4 p.m. Cookeville Regional asks family members and caregivers refrain from calling the nursing unit for information unless it is an emergency.

PATIENT FOOD FROM OUTSIDE

  • If a patient’s family brings food for the patient from outside the facility, it must not be brought from home and it cannot be stored in the refrigerator. If the food can stay in the patient’s room, it is okay for the patient to have food from outside.
  • Patients can have clean clothing or phone/chargers (things that can be wiped down) brought in a bag and taken to the nurse by front door staff or the patient’s nurse may pick up from front desk.
  • The nurse will then check items and wipe down if possible.
  • It is okay to continue to have food delivered for staff to front desk.
  • No outside food or drink allowed in the emergency department.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING AT THIS TIME.

VISITOR SCREENING

ENTRY POINTS FOR THE PUBLIC
Only three entrances will be open for entry by the general public:

  • Main entrance (North Patient Tower)
  • East Entrance
  • ED entrance

(The Cancer Center entrance will remain open for Cancer Center patients only. No other visitors may access the hospital from that entrance.)

Employees will still be able to enter in the East Entrance, North Patient Tower Main Entrance, West Entrance and Loading Dock Entrance with their badge.