Penn State Health expands visitation guidelines, clarifies additional exceptions
Penn State Health has shifted to Tier 2 visitation guidelines because of falling numbers of COVID-19 cases.
The health system has altered the Tier 2 rules to allow one support person to visit patients in the adult Emergency Department and the adult clinics. Organizers made no changes to the adult inpatient and adult procedural areas guidelines allowing one support person per stay, nor did they change pediatric family/support person guidelines.
The health system also clarified several visitation exceptions:
- COVID-positive labor and delivery patients meeting Special Pathogens Isolation criteria are permitted an asymptomatic support person who must agree to conditions outlined in Appendix A of the visitation policy.
- A support person may visit patients having new radiation consults and/or radiation treatments.
- A support person may visit patients suffering from acute delirium who would benefit from seeing familiar faces/family. These patients will have specific visiting hours and guidelines set by the attending physician in collaboration with the nurse manager.
Everyone must wear a mask upon entry to any Penn State Health facility and must remain masked for the duration of the stay.
Allowances will be made for:
- Patients or support person(s) for whom masking would create a health risk
- Persons under two years old
- Patients who are not awake or competent to follow instructions
- Intubated patients
- Brief periods of eating or drinking
- Sleeping support persons who reside in the hospital overnight
The state Department of Health has clarified that hospitals “cannot deny access to an attendant, caregiver or family member of a patient who has an intellectual, developmental or cognitive disability, communication barrier, or behavioral concern.”
These changes take effect on Monday, Feb. 15. Review the revised visitation policy to ensure you can provide the appropriate information to patients, families and support persons.
Should circumstances change, leaders will assess the visitation status and take the appropriate action.
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