Visitor and Family Presence during COVID-19

Visiting Hours

Acute Care Unit (2nd Floor)
1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Complex Continuing Care (3rd Floor)
2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

At RVH, our visitor policy is one visitor per person per day to help adhere to physical distancing measures.
Visitors are allowed to bring some items to patients. Visitors may bring some food/beverages, clothing and electronics in clean plastic bags. The bags can also be used to take soiled clothing home for laundering.
Since visitors must wear a mask or face covering for the duration of their visit, they will not be able to consume food/beverages while visiting the hospital.

Per Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) guidance around COVID-19 Variants of Concern in Renfrew County and the latest provincial shutdown measures, visiting: 

 

  • is limited to one designated visitor (i.e., the same visitor every time) per patient per day.
  • for patients nearing end of live/receiving palliative care, up to four visitors per patient will be permitted at the hospital's discretion, taking circumstances such as family size as well as safety measures such as ability to physical distance into consideration.

 

 

  • If possible, the designated visitor(s) should be from Renfrew County and District to limit travel among regions. 
These changes are in effect as of Friday, April 2, 2021.

 

 

 

Rules for visiting

To visit a patient at this time, visitors must:

  • Be a designated family caregiver/care partner
  • Complete screening at the entry
  • Feel well and answer no to all screening questions, or may be turned away
  • Wear a mask that covers nose and mouth properly for the full time of the visit
  • Report directly to nursing on the patient’s floor before entering their room
  • Remain in the patient’s room to minimize movement in the facility. Use the call bell if assistance is required
  • Use public (not patient) washrooms and do not visit the cafeteria
  • Perform hand hygiene (hand washing and/or use of hand sanitizer) when entering and leaving the facility and the patient’s room
  • Wear additional protective equipment if circumstances require it
  • Maintain 6-foot/2-metre physical distancing where possible, unless the patient is in your 10-person social circle
  • Follow all public health requirements during their time at the hospital, or they will be asked to leave

 



Masks

Universal masking is in place at RVH. Cloth masks will be provided if needed when you enter and we ask that you deposit them in available receptacles at the exit when you leave.


Parking/Entrance

Visitors are asked to use the Ambulatory Care Clinics entrance, which will be open 7 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., and use the elevator in the main hall closest to the Gift Shop. After hours use the Emergency Department entrance.


We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation in the community and in hospital, and adjust our approach accordingly.

 

 

Alerts

For the safety of patients, staff and volunteers, RVH strives to minimize as much as possible the risk of spread of contagious disease within the hospital through limiting access to the hospital, when required, and promoting hand washing and other measures to prevent the spread of infection.

If an infection outbreak or another emergency situation requires restrictions to protect public health or safety, staff will collaborate with the patient and family to enable and ensure that selected family members are still welcomed if permitted by Public Health or Emergency Services.

Individuals who have concerns regarding the application of this policy should refer the issue to a member of the unit-based inter-professional care team. If the issue cannot be resolved, it should be referred to the clinical manager or delegate, or the Nursing Supervisor on site in the absence of the Clinical Manager or delegate. If it cannot be resolved at the unit level, it may be referred to the VP, Patient Care Services.