A Good Visit
Spending time with loved ones during a hospital stay benefits both patients and visitors. The following guidelines will help make your visit a pleasant experience for everyone:
- Call ahead to make sure your loved one is feeling well enough for company. Ask when he or she would like you to visit and for how long.
- Ask your loved one whether bringing along infants or small children is desirable.
- Be sure to follow the hospital’s scheduled visiting hours.
- If you smoke, please remember that all Houston Healthcare facilities and campuses are tobacco-free. Tobacco use any of any kind is not permitted.
- Respect your loved one’s privacy by knocking and waiting for permission before entering the room.
- Be mindful of other patients and be careful not to disturb them with excessive noise or other activities.
- Limit the number of visitors in your party to no more than two at a time.
- Before bringing a gift of food or flowers, be sure to ask about the patient’s dietary restrictions, allergies, personal likes and dislikes, and hospital rules.
- To avoid spreading infection to patients, visit only if you are well.
- Honor any “no visitors” signs or other instructions that may be posted in the hospital.
- Allow the patient to make comfort-related choices, such as visit length and frequency, whether lights are on or off, and when to watch television.
- Be considerate and respectful of the patient’s privacy—step out of the room if a procedure or consultation needs to be performed while you are present.
- If the patient has requested that his or her health information not be shared with family and/or friends, please respect that choice.
- Avoid the temptation to offer advice. It’s helpful to ask questions and even more important to simply listen to the patient’s fears, concerns and thoughts.
- Rest is an important part of recovery. Keep your visit brief (15 minutes or shorter) unless your loved one asks you to stay longer.