Under special situations, exceptions may be made, but arrangements should be discussed with your nurse in advance. Our staff recommends that only children who are immediate family members of a patient be permitted to visit. However, exceptions are possible when patients identifies other children to their nurse in certain circumstances. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times, and if necessary, our staff may need to ask children to leave the unit if their behavior is not in the best interest of the patient. Because many patients experience lowered blood counts due to their treatment, it is extremely important that all visitors and staff members wash their hands at the sink by the patient room door upon entering.
Hand washing is the most important way to prevent infection.
If you have low blood counts, you should check with your nurse before leaving the unit before going to a designated visiting area. In some cases, you may need to wear a mask before leaving your room. Any visitors with signs or symptoms of a cold, flu, or other infectious illness should be strongly discouraged from visiting. If they do visit, they must wear a mask while in your room and on the unit. If you are uncertain about whether or not you should receive a visitor who may have been ill recently, or been exposed to a childhood illness, please talk to your nurse or physician.