Nantucket Cottage Hospital Visitor Policy

Updated August 14, 2020

As we reopen services and prepare to welcome back more patients amid the coronavirus pandemic, we are proceeding with a comprehensive approach to prevent the spread of infectious disease.  The Nantucket Cottage Hospital team is dedicated to the safety of the Nantucket Community.

To achieve a safe environment for our patients, visitors, and staff during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic please review these important details about our visitor policy:

• NCH is currently allowing one visitor at a time per patient on the inpatient unit.
• You may check with the inpatient unit to see if the patient has a visitor present before you arrive by calling 508-825-1030.
• Patients on Enhanced Respiratory Isolation may not have visitors with the exception of pediatric patients or in an end-of-life situation. The Labor and Delivery unit will allow a support person as defined below, and one other visitor.
• It is important to note that some units such as the Ambulatory Clinic, Emergency Department and Procedural areas will not be able to accommodate visitors at this time in order to ensure the safety of all patients, visitors and staff.
• No visitors under the age of 18 years old are allowed in the hospital unless the visitor is a child of a patient. People waiting to visit a patient should wait in their vehicle, rather than in hospital waiting rooms, until the time of their visit.
• Visitors will not be permitted if the visitation poses a significant infection control risk to patients, visitor or staff.
• Visitors for non-clinical purposes are only permissible for essential work that can only be conducted in person. Any work that can reasonably be conducted remotely should be conducted via telephone or teleconference rather than in-person.
• Patients, visitors, and staff must enter through the Emergency Department Entrance 24/7 or the Nantucket Cottage Medical Group Entrance during normal business hours.

Definitions:

Visitor: Any person who is present to support the patient during their inpatient hospital stay, including but not limited to a spouse, adult child, parent, close relative, friend, domestic partner, and significant others. It is not required that the person be legally related to the patient.

Support Person: Birth partner, parents of patients who are under the age of 18 years old, attorneys of patients and companions for patients with intellectual and/or physical disabilities are not considered visitors, but must be screened. This support person does not count as one visitor; the patient may have a single visitor in addition to the support person/people.

While in the facility visitors are required to follow the requirements below:

• All visitors must be screened for symptoms of possible COVID-19 infection (recent travel to high risk state, fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, chills, myalgia or new onset of loss of taste or smell). No visitors with any symptoms may be permitted into the hospital. Visitors with active COVID-19 infection will not be permitted.
• All visitors are always required to wear a hospital-issued mask while in the hospital.
• All visitors must perform hand hygiene upon entry to the facility.
• Individual areas may restrict visitation based on unit activity or patient condition.
• All visitors must wait in their vehicle until they are given permission to visit a patient or to pick up someone from patient care area.
• Visitors must remain with the patient (e.g., in the inpatient room) or with their NCH host for the entirety of the visit or will be asked to wait outside. Visitors must exit the hospital directly upon completing their visit.
• Duration and timing of the visit is at the discretion of hospital leadership or their designee.
• Visitors must adhere to all Mass General Brigham Infection Control requirements including symptom attestation and masking at all times while on premises, physical distancing whenever possible, and avoidance of crowding.

At NCH we are fully prepared to provide you with the care you need, when you need it, in a safe environment.