Visiting Hours & Rules

It is the policy of Mount Sinai Medical Center to respect visitation rights of patients, while ensuring the safety of our patients, employees and members of the public and creating an environment conducive to the provision of quality patient care. Mount Sinai will not restrict, limit, or otherwise deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.

GENERAL VISITING

Patients will be informed of their visitation rights, and any applicable restrictions on visitation upon their registration and admission to Mount Sinai.
Subject to reasonable restrictions, each patient may choose who may visit them during the inpatient stay, regardless of whether the visitor is a spouse, a domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another family member, a friend, or other type of visitor.
Patients may withdraw their consent to visitation by a particular visitor or visitors at any time.
Visiting hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the Medical/Surgical and Telemetry Units.
Healthy children under the age of 12 may be permitted to visit at the discretion of the nursing staff. Children may visit patients provided they are supervised by an adult at all times.
In semi-private rooms, visitors are limited to two (2) people at a time.
In private rooms, visitors are also limited to two (2) people at a time.
At the care giver's discretion, all visitors will be asked to leave the room when patient care procedures or treatment is being administered in both private and semi-private rooms.
Visitors may also be asked to leave the room during emergency situations.
If, at any time, the hospital staff feels a visitor is being disruptive and/or presents a threat to the care and safety of the patient(s), visitor(s) or hospital employee(s), that visitor will be asked to leave the hospital.

AFTER HOURS VISITING

After hour visits must be authorized by the Charge Nurse of the unit in which the patient to be visited is housed.
One (1) visitor over eighteen (18) years of age may be permitted to stay overnight with the patient on the Medical/Surgical or Telemetry Units, as long as the room is a private room.
For visitors attempting to enter the medical center after hours: Visitors must go to the Emergency Department and check in with the Security Officer. All after hours visitors must be escorted by the security officer from the ED to the elevator bank in which the patient is located.
The Nursing Supervisors will be contacted in unusual situations, for clarification of status, or as the authority for resolution of questions regarding the appropriateness of a stay.

INTENSIVE/CRITICAL CARE AREAS

Visitors in the Intensive/Critical Care areas are limited to two (2) visitors at a time. Visiting hours in these areas vary based on patients' clinical condition and the discretion of the department director/manager. In general, visitors are welcomed 24 hours a day, except during shift change from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Food and beverages are not allowed in patient rooms.

VISITOR WAITING AREAS

Visitor waiting areas are open 24 hours a day. However, visitors are encouraged to return home between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

The Emergency Department Waiting Room is open 24 hours per day.
All visitors accompanying Emergency Department patients, with the exception of parents of children under 18, must wait in the Waiting Room while Emergency Department personnel assess the patient.
Family members will receive information from the Patient Representative or Unit Leader regarding the patient's status when the assessment is completed.
Only two (2) visitors at a time will be allowed in the treatment area. The Emergency Department Unit Leader, based upon current Emergency Department activity, will make this determination.

CHILDREN

Healthy children under the age of twelve (12) will not be allowed to visit patient rooms unless accompanied by a supervising adult and may not remain in a patient room after visiting hours. Children should not visit if they have a runny nose, fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhea or rash.
When the Administrative Supervisor assesses that limited visiting by a child under twelve (12) is vital to a patient's psychological welfare, children may be allowed to visit, in the following situations:
When a terminally ill patient requests to see a child/children.
When a patient's illness has resulted in prolonged hospitalization, depriving him/her of contact with his/her child(ren).

MATERNAL/CHILD UNIT

All visitors to maternal/child areas located on the third floors of the Blum Building and De Hirsch Meyer Tower must identify themselves and present valid photo identification. The I.D. will be scanned and information stored in the unit's computer database.
Upon special request by the patient who indicated they would like visitation restricted, staff will verify the location of the patient to be visited and confirm visitation authorization prior to admitting the visitor.

1. No Children under 12, except siblings of newborns are permitted on the floor. No children are permitted in Nursery or NICU areas.
2. In semi-private rooms, a visitor maybe permitted to stay overnight, but only upon agreement by both patients.