How to talk to patients and their families about the implementation of special precautions and policies to keep our community safe.
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Visitor restrictions
Effective March 1, 2023:
- Visiting hours for all inpatient units are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Adult outpatients (arriving for a clinic visit, then returning home):
- Two visitors/support persons are allowed for patients aged 18–21.
- One visitor/support person is allowed for patients aged 22–64.
- Two visitors/support persons are allowed for patients 65 and older.
- One visitor/support person is allowed for prenatal appointments.
- One visitor/support person is allowed for postpartum patients and lactation visits up to eight weeks after delivery.
- Adult inpatients:
- Two visitors/support people are allowed per patient per day.
- If a patient is admitted after 8 p.m., visitors are all allowed to go to the inpatient unit for one hour after patient admission.
- One visitor/support person is allowed overnight (8 p.m. to 8 a.m.).
- Two visitors/support people are allowed per patient per day.
- Adult surgical and procedural patients:
- Two visitors/support people are allowed per patient per day.
- At least one visitor must be 18 or older.
- Two visitors/support people are allowed per patient per day.
- Pediatric outpatients (arriving for a clinic visit, then returning home):
- Two adult visitors/support persons are allowed.
- Pediatric inpatients:
- Four visitors/support persons are allowed per patient per day.
- Two parents/legal guardians plus up to two other visitors as designated by the parents/legal guardians.
- Only parents/legal guardians (or their designated pediatric support person) may stay overnight.
- Visitors under the age of 18 are not permitted in the NICU and PICU/PCICU.
- Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Unit:
- Two adult visitors/support persons are allowed per patient per day.
- Four visitors/support persons are allowed per patient per day.
- Pediatric surgical and procedural patients:
- Four visitors/support persons are allowed per patient per day.
- Two parents/legal guardians plus up to two other visitors as designated by the parents/legal guardians.
- Four visitors/support persons are allowed per patient per day.
- Labor and Delivery Unit:
- Two visitors/support people plus birth support person/doula or partner (father/designee of baby) are allowed per patient.
- Emergency Department:
- One visitor/support person per patient is allowed.
- Behavioral Health Services:
- Two visitors/support persons per patient are allowed.
General visitor requirements:
- For the health and safety of our patients, there are some units that require different visitor restrictions.
- Visitors must be aged 12 or older.
- Visitors must be healthy and not exhibit symptoms of a contagious illness.
- Visitors will be screened upon arrival.
- Visitors must be documented in Epic.
- Visitors will be asked to stay in designated areas as much as possible.
- Visitors should be a support person who is essential for the physical and/or mental well-being of the patient (for minors – should have a substantial relationship to the patient such as child of the patient, sibling of the patient, or an equivalently close relationship)
- Exceptions outside of the visitation guidelines are maintained at the unit level.
Clergy exception:
- Patients may receive religious services or visits from the clergy member of their choice at any reasonable time if it can be provided without disruption to care.
- Such clergy members will not count as the patient’s visitor under the current visitor restriction guidelines.
- The unit nurse manager must enter the specific name of the clergy member in Epic so the Safety Ambassadors, Guest Services, and others are aware.
What is a visitor/support person?
At this point in time, we must limit the number of people in our buildings. A support person is defined as someone who is needed for the patient’s physical and mental well-being.
What’s the process to ask for an exception of the visitor restrictions?
Careful consideration is given to each patient situation to determine exceptions to the visitor restrictions. Staff should take questions about exceptions to their nurse manager or department leader for possible further review.
Visitor exceptions may be made for patients with unique conditions or circumstances.
Exception guidelines to consider for adults in ambulatory settings:
- Patients with cognitive impairments
- Patients with limited mobility
- Patients with disruptive behavior, where a caregiver is key to their safety and care
- Patients who do not speak English
- Patients with hearing loss/deafness or blindness
Final decisions on exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis by the area’s nurse manager and select clinical leadership using established criteria.
Patient representatives from the Office of the Patient Experience (OPE) can be paged to talk to potential visitors about their circumstance. If off-site, visitors may call 1-319-356-1616.
Clergy exception
- Patients may receive religious services or visits from the clergy member of their choice at any reasonable time if it can be provided without disruption to care.
- Such clergy members will not count as the patient’s visitor under the current visitor restriction guidelines.
- The unit nurse manager must enter the specific name of the clergy member in Epic so the Safety Ambassadors, Guest Services, and others are aware.
Are patients allowed to bring children with them to their appointment?
Infants under the age of one year are allowed to accompany a parent to their parent’s appointment.
Can a patient’s family member or friend drop off items for the patient?
Items for the patient may be brought to the hospital Main Entrance or UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital main entrance for drop-off. The visitor dropping the items off will need to put items in a sealed plastic bag no larger than a grocery bag and write the patient’s name on the bag with a permanent marker. Staff will greet visitors outside these two main entrances to pick up items for delivery to the patient. If no staff are outside, the visitor may come inside to the Information Desk.
As an employee, can I visit a family member or friend who is in the hospital?
If you are an employee who has a loved one or friend in the hospital, you count as the one visitor/support person allowed per adult inpatient per day. As a reminder, all approved visitor names must be listed in Epic so all staff can reference. If you are not the approved visitor listed in Epic, you are not permitted to visit the patient.
Where should the patient’s driver wait while at an outpatient appointment?
At UI Hospitals & Clinics, those driving the patient can park in any hospital parking ramp (first 30 minutes are free for visitors), or staff will guide them to complimentary parking in lots near the hospital. Parking Ramp 2 has free WiFi. At offsite clinics, drivers and other unapproved visitors will be asked to stay in their car to encourage social distancing until the patient is done with their appointment or procedure.
ThinkIowaCity provides more information on community locations that drivers and other unapproved visitors can visit during loved one’s appointments.
What’s the process for vendors or contractors entering the building?
Only approved vendors and contractors will be allowed in UI Health Care facilities. Vendors are also required to follow our face coverings guidelines, and they are screened following the same process as other visitors.
Can a family member or caregiver join an appointment via phone?
For outpatients: If the patient chooses to have a loved one available by phone during the appointment, they may use their own phone or device to allow another person to listen during the clinic visit to take notes and speak with the provider.
Which clinics/locations perform procedures that would apply under these updated guidelines?
The majority of our procedures are done in these locations:
- Adult Catheterization Lab
- Pediatric Catheterization Lab
- Digestive Health Center
- LL2 Procedure Area of UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital
- UI Health Care–Iowa River Landing Procedure Suite
- Interventional Radiology
- In vitro fertilization (IVF)
- Labor and delivery
- Urology
- Oral Surgery
- Eye Clinic
- Psychiatric electroconvulsive therapy
View guidelines for patients with COVID-19 and appointments at UI Hospitals & Clinics within their isolation period.
Adult inpatient |
Pediatric inpatient |
View this policy on: PolicyTech
Download flyers: Preventing the spread of COVID-19
Download: Patient education materials
Newborn Going Home with COVID-19 or with a Mom who has COVID-19
- Babies infected or whose status is not known due to lack of testing, but with no symptoms of COVID-19, may be go home on a case-by-case basis. Your babies care team will teach you precautions to take. Follow-up contacts (either by phone, telemedicine, or in-office) will be scheduled through 14 days after birth.
Be sure to teach all people who will care for your baby about wearing a mask and gloves, and washing their hands.
People over the age of 60 and those with health conditions should not care for your baby if possible.
- Babies with a negative COVID-19 test or who have never been exposed can go home when ready. A healthy (non-infected) person should care for baby.
If an exposed or positive mom is in the same house, she should try to stay at least 6 feet away from baby. When mom must be near baby, she needs to wash her hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If possible, she should also put on a face mask before caring for baby.
She should do this until:
- At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first started and
- She does not have a temperature of greater than or equal to 38.0° C (100.4° F) for at least 24 hours without the use of medicine that lowers fevers
- Other people who are being tested or have symptoms, should wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and should also wear a mask if they can whenever they are within 6 feet of the baby.
Breastfeeding
Studies have not found the virus in breastmilk.
We strongly suggest mom pump breastmilk. First, they should wash their hands and breast. Then a healthy person can feed baby the milk.
Moms who want to breastfeed should wash their hands and breasts well and wear a mask. An infected mom could give baby the virus by contact when they are close during nursing but not through the breast milk.
When you get home:
- Do not take your baby outside, except for health care
- Do not take your baby to businesses, places of worship, or other public places
- Do not use public transportation, ride sharing, or taxis
People: Keep baby in one room and away from other people in your home. Do not have visitors.
Animals: Keep your baby away from pets while they are sick. Have someone else in your home care for your animals.
Cover your coughs and sneezes
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw used tissues in a lined trash can. Clean your hands right away.
If you do not have a tissue, hold your arm in front of your face. Cough or sneeze into your elbow. Coughing into your elbow instead of your hand is safer. When you cough into your hand, the virus gets on your hand and is easier to spread.
Clean your hands often
- Wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- If you do not have soap and water, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Cover all parts of your or older sibling’s hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
- Soap and water are best if hands are visibly dirty.
- Do not to touch eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Do not share items in the home
Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people or pets in your home. After using these items, they should be washed well with soap and water.
Clean all “high-touch” surfaces each day
High-touch surfaces are counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables. Clean any surfaces that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them. Use a household cleaning spray or wipe. Follow the label instructions for safe use.
Watch for symptoms
Get health care right away if your baby:
- Has trouble breathing
- Will not drink or breast feed
- Does not have wet diapers often
- Does not wake up
- Has a fever
Call your baby’s doctor’s office and tell them your baby has been exposed to COVID-19 but can still be ill from other reasons. Keep a light sheet over your baby before going into the building and you should wear a mask. This will help the doctor’s office to keep other people in the office or waiting room from getting sick.
