North Oaks hospitals change visitation guidelines

FILE – In this Nov. 5, 2020, file photo, doors to a COVID-19 treatment unit at UW Health in Madison, Wis., caution hospital personnel and visitors. Conditions inside the nation’s hospitals are deteriorating by the day as the coronavirus rages through the country at an unrelenting pace. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File)

by: Michaela Romero

Posted: Jul 22, 2021 / 04:58 PM AST

Updated: Jul 22, 2021 / 05:00 PM AST

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HAMMOND, La. (WGNO) — On July 22, the North Oaks Health System adjusted visitation guidelines in response to the rising volume of COVID-19 patients.

As of July 22, 2021, COVID-19 positive patients at North Oaks Medical Center and North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital may not have visitors except in cases of end-of-life.

Nurses will give phone updates twice a day to the patient’s designated family member.

Another exception is that laboring mothers who are COVID-19 positive may have one designated support person with them for the duration of labor.

Emergency Room patients may have one visitor or support person accompany them. If the patient needs COVID-19 evaluation, however, the visitor/support will be asked to leave and wait in his/her vehicle while the patient’s testing is pending.

Nurses will update the visitor waiting for the patient’s test results. If the patient has COVID-19, he or she will not be allowed to have a visitor or support person with them in the emergency room.

Clinic and outpatient diagnostic patients with respiratory or COVID-like symptoms will only be allowed to have a support person accompany them if it is medically necessary to assist the patient or communicate with the provider.

Non-COVID-19 patients at North Oaks Medical Center and North Oaks Rehabilitation Hospital will be allowed to have one visitor at a time between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Visitors may swap out, but visitors will not be allowed to wait in North Oaks lobbies. Pediatric patients are the exception; they may have both parents visit at the same time.

Laboring mothers who are not COVID-19 positive will be allowed to have one support person present. Postpartum, one support person will be permitted with swapping allowed, but visitors will not be allowed to wait in North Oaks lobbies.

Visitors will be screened at the door and required to stay in the patient’s room/with the patient at all times when visitation is permitted:

Patients at North Oaks Medical Center, are asked to enter and exit the hospital at the Main Entrance (4-story hospital building marked by a horseshoe drive and flagpole) Monday-Friday, and through the Tower Entrance (5-story hospital building marked by circle drive and connecting breezeway to the Parking Garage) on weekends.