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New policies at LBJ Hospital become effective June 1
Patients of the LBJ Medical Center, as well as their family members, relatives, and friends will have to adhere to a new policy regarding visiting hours and care-giving beginning June 1, when the LBJ’s new set of policies addressing such issues goes into effect.
Under the new policy, visiting hours will be from 10am – 8pm seven days a week, and visitations cannot exceed thirty minutes at a time. Only a designated caregiver may stay with the patient after visiting hours, and only caregivers identified with badges issued by the LBJ security staff will be allowed in the patient units after visiting hours.
(Badges are issued by the LBJ security staff only to a family member that provides a note from a nurse of physician. Only one badge will be issued per patient and the badge will be passed on to the next caregiver for the duration of the patient’s stay at the LBJ. Lost badges are replaced with a $5 fee and badges that are not turned in to the hospital security will be charged to the patient’s hospital bill).
The new policy states that family members who serve as care givers for LBJ patients must first get a clearance from the admitting physician. Caregivers are allowed for patients in the Pediatric Ward; those identified for ‘fall’ precautions, have a physical disability (e.g. amputee, uses a wheel chair or walker to get around), and disoriented; those over the age of 65 and under the age of 14; or any patient deemed necessary by the nursing staff.
The list is not inclusive as, according to the policy, special circumstances will be considered and permitted. Those who have a fever, cough, upper respiratory infection, or show other signs of communicable diseases are not permitted into the patient care areas as visitors.
To ensure full compliance, the LBJ’s security staff will be making rounds in the patient units. The policy encourages visitors to seek the assistance of security staff members when they observe crime, witness suspicious behavior, or when they become the victim of a crime.
All of the visiting guidelines apply to the pediatric, medical, surgical, and maternity wards. The policy also sets forth guidelines for visitations to the nursery, intensive care unit, labor room, operation and surgical recovery room, and the emergency room.
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