Visitors and Visiting Hours
Having family and friends close by can be more important than ever when you are in the hospital. At Beth Israel Deaconess, your visitors are welcome. Because of the limited space in your room, it is usually best if no more than two people visit at a time. On most units, we ask that visitors come between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Anyone visiting after 8 p.m. must check in with the security officer in the lobby of the Clinical Center on the west campus, or the lobby of the Feldberg Building on the east campus, before proceeding to the floor.
Your nurse will work with you and your visitors to make sure that visits do not interfere with your care and the rest you need. If small children will be visiting, please make sure that they do not have any contagious illnesses such as strep throat or a cold. If you are being treated for cancer or are receiving an organ transplant, please check with your nurse about special visiting policies that may apply to you.
In obstetrics, we try to strike a balance between helping family and friends give a warm welcome to a newborn and making sure mothers get the rest they need before going home to a busy schedule. The father/ partner is welcome any time, and siblings are also encouraged to visit whenever they can according to the wishes of the mother and her partner make sure small children who will be visiting don’t have contagious illnesses. We ask that other try to come between 2 and 8 p.m. All visitors in obstetrics must obtain a visitor’s badge at the nurse’s station. The badge must be visible at all times and must be changed every 24 hours.
Visitors in obstetrics should be aware that many new mothers want to attend educational sessions on newborn care offered on the unit, meaning a visit may need to be cut short. Please note: the only people who can transport the baby to and form the nursery are the mother and a second person that the mother designates at the time of delivery.
