After months of research, Western Baptist Hospital has changed visiting hours in the Intensive Care and Coronary Care units to give patients more rest time for healing and families quality visiting time.

Previously, visitors could spend 15 minutes every two hours in the critical care units. Now, visiting times are 8 to 9 a.m., noon to 2 p.m., 4 to 6 p.m. and 8 to 9 p.m.

 
“Patients in the critical care units are the sickest in the hospital and, therefore, need optimum conditions for healing, including sleep,” said Karen Talbott, R.N., nursing director of the Coronary Care Unit. “However, we also know that visitors can be good medicine for patients; so we did extensive research to develop a more appropriate  visitation policy.”

Cardiologist James Gwinn, M.D., said the new hours are designed to give patients more time to rest so they can heal, while they provide families longer visiting and rest times for themselves.

“Feeling that connection with family and loved ones is essential to healing,” said Dr. Gwinn. “That’s why appropriate visitation is important for the critically ill patient. Western Baptist is committed to providing a healing environment for patients, so we have created this more flexible visiting policy based on the research evidence.”

Visitation policies vary throughout the hospital, depending on the needs of the patients. But all hospital visitors are asked to follow standard guidelines, such as staying away if they have a contagious illness and washing their hands when they enter and leave a room to help control infections.