Cape Fear Valley Health to restrict visitation starting Friday
FAYETTEVILLE, NC – Jan. 6, 2022 – Due to local positivity rates of COVID-19 reaching the highest levels seen so far during the pandemic, as well as increasing rate of COVID-19 admissions, Cape Fear Valley Health System’s facilities will further restrict visitation starting Friday, Jan. 7.
Patients who have not tested positive for COVID-19 will be allowed one visitor per day, between the hours of noon to 8 p.m. Care companions who stay overnight with a patient and leave the next morning will not be allowed to return until visiting hours reopen. COVID-19 patients will be allowed one visitor per day, for one hour between 4 to 8 p.m.
In the Emergency Department, visitors will not be allowed in the waiting room, but one visitor will be allowed once the patient has been given a room. Visitors to patients in the Emergency Department will not be allowed to leave and return.
“We are watching the trend of the inpatient COVID-19 cases at Cape Fear Valley as well as tracking the spread in the community on an ongoing basis and adjusting visitation policies accordingly,” said Chief Operating Officer Daniel Weatherly. “The hospital will provide visitors with a mask that must be worn during their entire visit. We also encourage everyone in the community to get vaccinated, and get their booster shot when it’s due, to help our healthcare heroes as we fight this pandemic into its third year.”
Due to the high vulnerability of Long-Term Acute Care (LTAC) patients at Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital, all visitors to those patients must be able to show proof of vaccination.
Legally appointed healthcare decision makers (i.e., health care power of attorney, guardians) may be the daily designated visitor and will be considered the patient’s visitor for the day. No additional visitors will be allowed for patients who have a legally appointed healthcare decision maker. If another person is the designated visitor for the day, healthcare providers will contact the legally appointed decision maker by telephone or electronic communications for any necessary healthcare updates or decisions.
The following exceptions will be made to this visitation policy:
• Surgery and procedural patients will be allowed one visitor in the pre-op area, or their one visitor may wait in the surgical waiting room if arriving with the patient. Visitors for surgery patients may also wait in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit if they are waiting to be admitted to the hospital. Once a surgery patient or procedural patient has been admitted, one visitor can go with the patient to their room.
• Inpatients awaiting surgery or a procedure may have one visitor during visiting hours. Care Companions may stay with the patient overnight and remain until the patient is taken to surgery.
• Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital surgical patients may have one support person, who may wait in the lobby during the procedure.
• Outpatient clinics and Fayetteville Ambulatory Surgical Center will allow no more than one visitor per patient.
• Labor & Delivery: Laboring mothers may have one support person/coach for the duration of their stay. If the support person/coach leaves the premises for any reason, he or she will not be allowed back into the building.
• Family Centered Care Unit: May have one visitor/support person during their entire stay who must stay in the patient’s room at all times. If the person leaves the premises for any reason, he or she will not be allowed back into the building.
• Pediatric patients: A legal minor may have one parent or guardian with them who must stay in the patient’s room at all times. One parent/guardian may change out with another parent/guardian between noon and 8 p.m.
• Patients who need a healthcare decision maker or require communication assistance may have one Care Companion with them. The Care Companion may be changed one time each day between noon and 8 p.m.
• Cancer Center patients who are having a consultation visit may have two people with them.
• End of Life patients (with or without COVID-19) may have one End of Life visit with up to four family members for a combined total visitation time of one hour. Only one visitor at a time may be present at bedside. In certain circumstances, the nursing supervisor may allow for compassionate exceptions to this rule for End of Life patients.
Even in the above situations, visitors with symptoms of a fever or respiratory illness symptoms, including cough or shortness of breath, should remain home. Visitors and patients in all Cape Fear Valley Health facilities and clinics are required to properly wear a mask provided by the health system at all times. Masks must remain on at all times, even in patients’ rooms, or the visitor will be asked to leave. Cloth masks and neck gaiters are not permitted. This mask policy will be strictly enforced.
All visitors will be screened with a brief verbal questionnaire and a temperature scan before being allowed entry. Those who refuse to answer the questions or who have a temperature above 100.3 Fahrenheit will be denied entry.