Elliot WOMEN’S & CHILDREN’S Services
The Elliot Women's
& Children's Services
VISITING The NICU
Parents are welcome to visit their infants 24 hours a day. Grandparents, siblings and other visitors over the age of 14 are welcome to visit daily with a parent. Siblings under the age of 14 are welcome to visit during these same hours with a parent, however, they will be limited to10 minutes at the infant’s bedside. There must be an adult overseeing any children in the family visiting room while parents remain at their infant’s bedside. A limit of 3 visitors at a time at the bedside is requested.
The NICU is a locked unit requiring all visitors to be let in through the door. ALL visitors must check in with the receptionist upon their arrival.
Parents and families are welcome to use our family waiting room at any time. There is a refrigerator, TV, video games, toys, books, and a washer and dryer for your convenience. Because all families have access to this area, we request that everyone be respectful to the number of people using the room. Parents are also welcome to stay overnight at their infant’s bedside or in the overnight rooms available. Please speak to your infant’s nurse for more information.
Because newborns and young infants are often at greater risk for infections, it is important that they be protected from exposures to people who are contagious. Before you visit, please take a moment to consider whether you, as a parent or visitor, or the child accompanying you, have been experiencing any of the following:
- Chicken pox (includes anyone who has never had chicken pox or received the vaccine or are unaware if you have ever had chicken pox)
- Fever (within the past 24 hours)
- Vomiting/Diarrhea (within the past 24 hours)
- Cough, cold or flu (developed within the past week)
- Cold sore/fever blister (not yet scabbed over)
- Boil-Infected Wound (on hand or other uncovered area of the body)
If any of the above symptoms are present, it would be best to POSTPONE YOUR VISIT until the symptoms are gone. A parent with cold symptoms must wear a mask completely covering the nose and mouth. Anyone actively coughing for any reason must also wear a mask.
If you can visit today, remember that WASHING YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY first will also help protect your baby. Please do a 3- minute scrub with the soap provided on your first visit of each day.