MISHAWAKA, Ind. (May 26, 2020)

General Guidelines

NO visitors will be permitted at all entities of Saint Joseph Health System. This includes common areas such as the waiting room, chapel and cafeteria. It is the recommendation that any individual who is in a “waiting” capacity, should wait in their vehicle. A method of contact should be obtained for these individuals to inform when it is appropriate to enter the building or to advise when and where to pick up their loved one.

Definitions

• A visitor is defined as an individual who is present to provide social support for a patient (regardless of status: inpatient or outpatient). This individual is not required in order to perform medical care or decision making for the patient.
• A caregiver is defined as an individual who is a responsible party for the patient’s care. This individual is essential to perform the medical care and decision making for/with the patient. This individual has been verified by the medical team as being essential for the delivery of medical care and may present in person for phases of that care.

SJHS recognizes that the ability/status of a patient may change over the course of care, necessitating a change in visitor/caregiver allowances.

Inpatient Visitor Guidelines

NO visitors will be permitted at our Saint Joseph Health System Hospitals in Mishawaka and Plymouth, except under special circumstances as defined below.

1. Patients being admitted or discharged at the hospital are allowed a caregiver to be in attendance during the admission/discharge process.
2. Adult patients who are Developmentally or Cognitively impaired are allowed one (1) unique caregiver.
3. In end-of-life situations, which are not COVID related, two individual visitors may be allowed per patient.
1. In consideration of the many unique situations that present themselves in healthcare, occasional exceptions to this policy will be considered through hospital executive review and approval.
4. In end-of-life situations, which are COVID related, visitors will be allowed to visit by video conferencing.
5. When a patient’s stay is lengthy, a visitor may be permitted to utilize on-premises garden and walking paths, avoiding entrance doors and discharge doors. Visitors must arrange this time with the patient's nurse in advance. The patients nurse will escort the visitor to the location, and the nurse will arrange to be present to let the visitor back into the building and escort the visitor back to the floor.

Emergency Room (ER) Visitation Guidelines

NO visitors will be permitted at our Saint Joseph Health System Emergency Departments in Mishawaka and Plymouth.

Exceptions include the following where a patient may receive one (1) unique individual visitor each day, which is limited to one (1) single visit each day. Visitors must be healthy and over the age of 18:

1. To accompany a patient who is a minor.
2. Where a patient is otherwise unable to communicate or make decisions on their own.
3. In end-of-life situations, which are not COVID related, two individual visitors may be allowed per patient.
1. In consideration of the many unique situations that present themselves in healthcare, occasional exceptions to this policy will be considered through hospital executive review and approval.
4. In end-of-life situations, which are COVID related, visitors will be allowed to visit by video conferencing.

Outpatient Surgery, CIU, IR, and Cath Lab Waiting Room and Visitation Guidelines

NO visitors will be permitted at our Saint Joseph Health System Surgical, IR, and Cath Lab Departments in Mishawaka and Plymouth as described in the “General Guidelines”.

Exceptions include the following where a patient may receive one (1) unique individual responsible party identified by the respective department. This individual must be healthy and over the age of 18:

1. To accompany a patient who is a minor.
2. Where a patient is otherwise unable to communicate or make decisions on their own.
3. Where a patient has a physical limitation that renders them unable to mobilize without the assistance of the responsible party.
4. Any education that requires return demonstration by a responsible party for the desired skill or task.
5. If necessary for an aspect of patient care, Patient may have one (1) person physically present in the waiting room/patient room at any given time.
6. In end-of-life situations, which are not COVID related, two individual visitors may be allowed per patient.
1. In consideration of the many unique situations that present themselves in healthcare, occasional exceptions to this policy will be considered through hospital executive review and approval.
7. In end-of-life situations, which are COVID related, visitors will be allowed to visit by video conferencing.

NICU Visitation Guidelines

NO visitors will be permitted at our Saint Joseph Health System NICU departments in Mishawaka.

Exceptions include the following:

1. The mother of the baby and one support person may be present. The support person must be the same person for the duration of the baby's stay in the NICU and is limited to one (1) single visit each day. If a boarding room is available, the support person may stay continuously with the mother and baby.
2. The mother of the baby is encouraged to stay continuously, even after she is discharged. Based on availability, a boarding room and meal trays will be provided. If the mother stays continuously, she will be considered the 1 unique visitor permitted per day.
3. If the mother is unable to stay continuously, she may visit once each day.
4. A mother who is a Patient Under Investigation (PUI) for COVID or positive for COVID may not see her baby in the NICU.
5. In end-of-life situations, which are not COVID related, two individual visitors may be allowed per patient.
1. In consideration of the many unique situations that present themselves in healthcare, occasional exceptions to this policy will be considered through hospital executive review and approval.
6. If the NICU patient is a PUI, the same guidelines apply.

Pediatrics Unit Guidelines

NO visitors will be permitted at our Saint Joseph Health System Pediatric department in Mishawaka.

Exceptions include the following:

1. For pediatric patients that are not PUI and not COVID:
1. One (1) healthy parent or guardian may accompany the pediatric patient at a time.
2. One (1) healthy parent or guardian may switch-out once each day.
3. Only one (1) switch-out is permitted each day.
2. For pediatric patients that are PUI or are positive for COVID:
1. One (1) healthy parent or guardian may stay with the patient, and must wear a gown, gloves, and mask at all times.
2. Parents/guardians are not permitted to switch-out.

OB/Delivery Unit Guidelines

NO visitors will be permitted at our Saint Joseph Health System OB/Delivery departments in Mishawaka and Plymouth.

Exceptions include the following where a patient may receive one (1) unique individual visitor each day, which is limited to one (1) single visit each day. Visitors must be healthy and over the age of 18:

1. Laboring and postpartum women are allowed one support person as their unique individual visitor.
2. If the father of the baby is under 18, he may be the unique individual visitor.
3. To accompany a patient who is a minor:
1. In the case where the labor, delivery, postpartum patient is under 18, the family may choose for the father of the baby or the patient's parent or legal guardian to be present.
2. If the father of the baby is chosen and signatures for consents are needed, signatures may be obtained at the entrance of the hospital or by phone (reference the policy Consent and Treatment of the Pregnancy and Postpartum Minor).
4. In addition to the one support person, a certified doula who has been hired by the laboring mother may be present for labor and delivery
5. Adoptive parents who are pursuing a legal adoption with a recognized adoption agency may board with their newborn. Refer to the Adoption SBAR for specifics.
6. In end-of-life situations, which are not COVID related, two individual visitors may be allowed per patient.
1. In consideration of the many unique situations that present themselves in healthcare, occasional exceptions to this policy will be considered through hospital executive review and approval.
7. In end-of-life situations, which are COVID related, visitors will be allowed to visit by video conferencing.

Outpatient Imaging Guidelines

NO caregivers will be permitted to accompany patients during outpatient testing/procedures/treatments in Mishawaka and Plymouth.

Exceptions include the following where one (1) caregiver may be accompany the patient during their outpatient test/procedure/treatment. Caregivers must be healthy and over the age of 18:

1. To accompany a patient who is a minor.
2. Where a patient is otherwise unable to communicate, or make decisions, or ambulate on their own.
3. For Obstetrical Ultrasound procedures.
4. Any patient that will receive sedation or other procedures that would affect the patient's cognitive ability.

Families and caregivers are asked to remain in their car and not enter our facility unless absolutely required, as described above.

Outpatient Therapy Guidelines

NO visitors will be permitted to accompany patients during outpatient testing/procedures/treatments in Mishawaka and Plymouth.

Exceptions include the following where one (1) caregiver may be accompany the patient during their outpatient test/procedure/treatment. Caregivers must be healthy and over the age of 18:

1. To accompany a patient who is a minor.
2. Where a patient is otherwise unable to communicate, or make decisions, or ambulate on their own.

Families and caregivers are asked to remain in their car and not enter our facility unless absolutely required, as described above.