If you could create the visitors policy....

I've seen a lot of posts talking about the crazy things visitors do or the things nurses have to put up with when it comes to visitors and the visiting policy.

So, what if you could create the visitors policy? What would you have?

For example...

What would the hours be?
What can visitors bring into the patients room (food, drinks, crafts, games...etc.)?
How many visitors in a room?
What would you do to a coworker who did not enforce these rules?
Are these rules for in general at the facility or for a specific department?
What would happen if a visitor blatantly violated these rules?

Any rule related to visitors, what would it be?

This doesn't have to be all serious either. You can have serious rules or silly rules.
you can come and stay but if you become a bigger pain then the patients you must leave immediately and never come back!!! lol

Quote from CNA2dayyou can come and stay but if you become a bigger pain then the patients you must leave immediately and never come back!!! lol

I'd like the patient to have a secret button to push that silently requests all the visitors to leave. Sometimes, they just want everyone to leave but don't have the guts to say so. I'd gladly be the "bad guy" to advocate for the patient.

Quote from HappyNurse2005I'd like the patient to have a secret button to push that silently requests all the visitors to leave. Sometimes, they just want everyone to leave but don't have the guts to say so. I'd gladly be the "bad guy" to advocate for the patient.

All great ideas. I bend over backwards to include visitors in my patients care. I have found if I start out nice friendly, "I like family and friends to visit, but if it gets too busy you might need to leave." They all say yes, then I find it hard to be the bad nurse and say, ok I think you need to leave now, he needs to rest, or it is getting too crowded and noisy." They conveniently ignore me then!!! Rarely is it a problem, they agree when it is obvious the patient is resting, or a lot of visitors are in the room. Unfortunately there is always the bad apple to ruin it for everyone so hospitals make strict visiting policies. I hate it when the exception makes the rule!

Semi-private rooms would have their own set of rules. It is so easy for one patient's visitors to overwhelm the other patient. Don't even get me started about when the visitors to the patient on the bathroom side of the room block the access for the other patient....

Quote from roser13Semi-private rooms would have their own set of rules. It is so easy for one patient's visitors to overwhelm the other patient. Don't even get me started about when the visitors to the patient on the bathroom side of the room block the access for the other patient....

Quote from HappyNurse2005How about no more semi private rooms?

- Visitors shall abide by the usage of the call light ONLY for summoning nursing staff; visitors shall not come out of the room and interrupt an occupied nurse for the purpose of fulfilling needs for a patient, nor shall a visitor stand in the doorway of the patient's room and stare expectantly at every nurse that walks by.- Visitors shall let the patient speak for himself/herself on all matters unless the patient is incapable of communicating, in which case the visitor should notify the nurse of patient behaviors that may or may not indicate a patient requires something (such as pain or anti-anxiety medicine); in all cases the nurse's judgment will be final based on what is the anticipated best decision for the patient. - Visitors shall be respectful of the patient's needs as well as other patients' needs; if you are cackling or talking loud enough to violate the city's noise ordinance, you will be asked to leave- Visitors shall move when asked by hospital staff in order to allow them to perform their duties.- Visitors causing undue stress to the patient, other visitors, or staff members due to an oppressive, angry, or argumentative nature will be asked to leave and/or escorted off premises immediately.

Quote from JustEnuff2BDangerous- Visitors shall abide by the usage of the call light ONLY for summoning nursing staff; visitors shall not come out of the room and interrupt an occupied nurse for the purpose of fulfilling needs for a patient, nor shall a visitor stand in the doorway of the patient's room and stare expectantly at every nurse that walks by..

Quote from HappyNurse2005I'd like the patient to have a secret button to push that silently requests all the visitors to leave. Sometimes, they just want everyone to leave but don't have the guts to say so. I'd gladly be the "bad guy" to advocate for the patient.

Quote from kessadawnI I have developed a plan that works very well for the overwhelmed parent. We set-up a code phrase at the start of the shift. It's always something silly, like the mother may stretch her arms and say "boy, I could really use a hot bath right now." Then I convieniently take my cue and inform visitors that it is time for me to assess the child, which I need to do privately, however parents are always more than welcome to stay. 99% of the time, it works. Sometimes it does not, and with those families, well, nothing works, and then I have to be straight up and say, you leave, or I call security, and I am very good at that.