Visitor Policies Due to Coronavirus/COVID-19 Outbreak
*As the severity of the outbreak changes, visitor restrictions may also change.
Due to the growing spread of coronavirus / COVID-19 in North Carolina, Nash UNC Health Care announced that it will be enacting restrictions for visitors, vendors and volunteers at its facilities. Visitor Restrictions are a set of precautions the hospital takes to prevent the spread of illness to patients, visitors and staff.
If you have fever, cough, cold, or flu-like symptoms....
No visitors, vendors, volunteers or students active with fever, cough, cold or flu-like symptoms should enter Nash UNC Health Care facilities.
Limited Entrances
Entry points have been limited in order to effectively manage the screenings. The entrances available for patients, visitors and staff to enter are:
- Nash General Hospital front lobby
- Emergency Department
- Heart Center
- Women's Center
- Mayo Surgery Pavilion (5:45am - 5:30pm)
- Nash Day Hospital (7:00am - 5:00pm)
- Cancer Center (7:00am - 4:30pm)
- Coastal Plain Hospital
- Bryant T. Aldridge Rehabilitation Center
- Main Hospital Loading Dock (Staff & Vendors Only)
All other entry points will be disabled for entry, and only able to be opened for exiting the building.
Health Screening
All patients, visitors, vendors and staff will be subject to health screening upon entrance, effective April 1st.
The staff member performing the health screening will ask about symptoms associated with respiratory illness. If a patient, visitor, or staff member meet the risk factors in the screening questions, they may be directed to self-isolate and contact their primary care provider or the Health Department.
Temperature checks will be performed at all entrances. Some entrances have technology that automatically checks temperature when walking by, others will have a staff member use a hand-held temperature checking device.
Mask Policy for Patients & Visitors
Nash UNC requires all patients, visitors and staff members to wear a mask while on the Nash UNC campus. Masks will be issued upon arrival if you do not already have one. Please wear the mask when in common areas or within 6 feet of others. Wearing a mask is one of the best ways to reduce COVID transmission. To learn more about how we are keeping you safe during a visit to our facilities, visit our safety when seeking medical care page.
Additional personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gowns and gloves, may be required depending on who you are visiting and that patient’s situation.
Visitors
One designated, screened visitors per patient for the duration of the patient’s stay will be permitted in the majority of patient areas at Nash UNC Health Care. However, two designated visitors are allowed for each inpatient at Nash General, Critical Care, Cardiac Observation Unit, and the Women’s Center. Under all visitation policies, only one visitor is allowed at a time to ensure the proper safety precautions are being practiced.
- Pediatric patients will be allowed two designated, screened visitors/guardians per patient.
- No visitors under the age of 18
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Visitors who are over the age of 65, pregnant or immunocompromised are discouraged from visiting, for their own safety.
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For their safety, visitors are not permitted for patients on isolation precautions due to COVID
(both rule out and positive cases), which includes the Respiratory Cohort Area in the
Emergency Department.
Visitor exceptions will be granted for end of life situations, or extenuating circumstances, at the discretion of the care team.
Vendors / Contractors
Only vendors and contractors who are essential to patient care and business operations will be allowed onsite on an as-needed basis. Vendors and contractors who do not directly support patient care and critical business operations should work remotely and will not be allowed in Nash UNC Health Care facilities until further notice.
Volunteers
Hospital volunteers should not report to Nash UNC Health Care facilities until further notice.
Students
Effective August 1st, 2020, students are allowed to come back to Nash UNC Health Care's campus for onsite training and shadowing.
In Addition
In addition to the restrictions outlined above, community events, activities, and meetings hosted at Nash UNC Health Care will also be canceled until further notice, unless it is done virtually.
