Visiting the NICU

Visitation Policy

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.

Parents

Parents are welcome in the NICU 24 hours a day.

Grandparents

Grandparents are allowed to visit 22 hours per day when a parent/guardian is not available. They will be asked to step out during nursing change of shift as well as medical team rounds. They may be additionally asked to step out during procedures or patient care reasons.

Sibling Visits

See special instructions for young siblings who want to visit their new baby in the NICU.

All Visitors

• Please check in with the secretary daily before entering the NICU. To maintain a quiet environment for healing and growing and to protect privacy, please avoid talking or lingering in the hallways. The NICU family lounge and waiting area are always available to you.
• To protect your baby from infections, all visitors will be asked to perform a 3-minute scrub from their fingertips to elbows using a surgical scrub soap and sponge. Watch our NICU Handwashing Instructional video.
• The NICU welcomes 2 visitors for each family, outside of the parents and grandparents designation. Visitors are welcome to visit with only a parent or guardian present between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Grandparents are not allowed to bring in visitors.
• You are welcome to have 4 people per family in the unit at one time. (Visitors, including relatives, must be over the age of 12).
• We would like to keep the NICU a quiet and restful place for all babies. Please switch your mobile device to silence or vibrate mode while in the NICU.
• Food is allowed in the family lounge only. You are welcome to have covered drinks in your baby's room.
• Sleeping arrangements can be made for one parent/guardian in the patient room. If choosing to sleep in the room, please expect interruptions due to the frequency of assessments and 24 hour care being given to your child. Please speak to your social worker or your nurse regarding all sleeping options available to you.
• Visitors who have colds, coughs, vomiting, diarrhea, fever or other infections may not visit because this may be harmful to your baby. You should also know that the NICU visitation policy may be amended during seasonal flu epidemics or for concerns within the Rochester community that mat limit family and friend visiting.
• The NICU team may need to ask family and visitors to leave briefly for some patient care or procedures.
• Any exceptions to the NICU Visitation Policy will be approved by NICU leadership.

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