Visiting the NICU

Visitation Hours

To promote family-centered care of infants in the NICU, parents/primary care givers are encouraged to spend as much time as possible with their baby. For all other family members, the NICU visitation policy was designed to promote family-centered care while also keeping your baby's safety and comfort in mind. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to speak with anyone from your baby's healthcare team. We hope to make your family’s visit as meaningful and supportive as possible.

• To ensure a smooth and uninterrupted shift change, we kindly ask all visitors (except parents/legal guardians) to step out of the unit from 6:45 to 7:45, both in the morning and evening.
• Visitation Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. (excludes parents/legal guardians/support persons)
• Parents/Legal guardians are welcome in the NICU 24/7.

Visiting Guidelines for the NICU

Family & Support People

• Visitor Badges: All visitors must stop at the Golisano Children’s Hospital Ambassador desk on the first floor to obtain a badge each day you visit. Please wear the badge on your shirt so it is visible to hospital staff.
• Families may designate up to 4 approved support people who may visit when parents/ legal guardians are not present. Names must be provided to the unit secretary in advance upon admission. These support people cannot be changed for the duration of the baby’s admission. Support people must be 18 years or older
• Each family may have up to 2 visitors per day, in addition to parents/legal guardians/support people. Visitors must be 12 years or older and may only enter the unit when accompanied by the baby’s parent.
• All visitors must switch out in the main hospital lobby.
• A maximum of 4 people—including parents, legal guardians, and designated support people—are allowed at the bedside at one time from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Depending on the baby’s condition, the treatment team or unit leadership may limit bedside access to 2 people.
• Health Restrictions: Visitors with symptoms of illness, including but not limited to colds, coughs, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or other infections, may not visit due to the potential harm to your baby. Please note that the NICU visitation policy may change during flu season or other health concerns in the Rochester community.
• To protect your baby from infections, everyone must wash their hands from fingertips to elbows for 3 minutes before entering the NICU.
  Your Baby’s Room

Sibling Visitation

• Your baby's siblings, age 3 and older, may visit with a parent after completing a health screen. Visits are brief, supervised, and based on the baby’s condition. 
• Siblings may visit between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
• Additional restrictions may apply based on the patient’s acuity.

Take the online tour for siblings!

Room Guidelines

• To ensure a calm nighttime environment, only 2 people may be at the bedside from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
• The NICU team may ask parents/guardians, support people, and visitors to leave the bedside if necessary. During patient care or surgical procedures, visitors & support people will be directed to the family waiting room and will be called back once the procedure is complete.
• We ask that you keep the room clean and clutter-free so the medical team can easily access your baby. You may bring in a few nursery items (e.g., books, small stuffed animals), but please limit the number. All belongings (clothes, blankets, etc.) should fit in the cupboard or drawer under the couch. We ask that you label all items with the baby’s first and last name.
• No balloons, flowers, or plants are allowed in the room.
• Food menus are available in the family lounge, and the secretary will inform you when your food arrives. There is a refrigerator in the family lounge for personal food storage. Please label your items with your name and date.
• Covered drinks are allowed in the room; food is only permitted in the family waiting room.
• Please keep all items off the windowsills for safety and proper room cleaning.
• Sleeping arrangements (parents/legal guardians/support people): Up to two people may stay overnight in your child’s room; however, we can only guarantee sleeping accommodations for one person. Additional accommodations may vary based on room layout and availability. Please understand that frequent assessments and 24-hour care may cause interruptions to rest. Sleeper beds should be folded up when not in use to allow for proper room cleaning and to ensure the medical team has safe access to your child. Furniture and linens vary by room; your nurse or social worker can help explore available sleeping options. Appropriate sleep attire is always required

These guidelines are in place to ensure the safety and comfort of both you and your baby. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to speak with any member of your baby’s healthcare team. We value your input and encourage you to actively participate in your baby’s care.

Note: At all times, medical and nursing staff reserve the right to ask visitors to leave if the need arises.