Catawba Valley Health System
Visitations
Visiting hours are as follows: Monday-Friday 6:30pm to 8:30pm; Saturday-Sunday 3pm to 5pm | ONLY TWO VISITORS PER PATIENT ARE ALLOWED ON THE UNIT
For the safety of our patients, visitors, employees, and confidentiality of patients, visitation is supervised and limited to 2 visitors for each patient. Visitors are limited to close family, significant others, clergy and attorneys. Visitation may be further restricted by patient request or doctor’s order. Visitors under the age of 12 are discouraged and must be pre-approved through a doctor’s order. Each child must be accompanied by an adult (1 adult for each child) and be directly related to the patient. Visitation must occur in the dining room for ambulatory adult patients. Geriatric patients may visit in the dayroom. Clergy and attorneys may visit at any reasonable hour as long as the patient is not involved in structured group therapies and/or activities.
Visiting hours may be briefly delayed due to activity on the unit.
Due to environmental/safety issues, we need all visitors and family members cooperation and assistance in complying with the following policies:
- Absolutely NO hats, coats or purses allowed on any units. Lockers are available for storage of items while visiting. Please leave the key in the lock after retrieval of items. Catawba Valley Medical Center accepts no responsibility for items left in lockers and reserves the right to examine locker contents.
- Visitors MUST know the patient’s code number before visiting.
- Items that are brought in MUST be checked in at the nurse’s station and will be inspected by unit personnel.
- No outside food or drink is allowed on the unit.
Admission
A staff member will interview the patient to obtain information about the reasons for hospitalization, medical history, and general background. After receiving patient permission, staff may wish to talk to the family or significant other. On admission, a staff member will take a picture of the patient. This photo will be used for identification purposes during care. At the time of discharge, the photo will be destroyed. To further ensure the safety of all persons on the unit, video monitoring is in place. Every effort is taken to ensure patient privacy during care.
Confidentiality
Patients may be assured that any personal information given to staff members will be guarded with professional trust and confidentiality. Information is only shared among staff members directly involved in the patient’s care. Visitors are also under restriction of confidentiality of information.
Smoking
The hospital is a tobacco free facility. Smoking and the use of any tobacco product is prohibited in any part of the hospital property, including the parking areas. The staff will make every effort to assist patients with this, including providing nicotine replacement therapy, as ordered by the physicians.
Telephones
CELL PHONES AND CAMERAS ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THE UNIT
There are no phones in patient rooms. There is a telephone for the patient’s use on each unit. Patients may make their own calls between the hours of 8am and 10pm. Phone calls are not allowed during group or other therapeutic activities. Calls must be limited to 10 minutes. Patients can receive incoming calls unless they prefer not to accept calls or there is a physician’s order to the contrary.
Patient Clothing and Belongings
All belongings will be examined by a staff member, int the patient’s presence, on admission. Any valuables such as money, credit cards, etc. may be locked in storage or sent home. All dietary and hygiene supplies are provided, therefore, cash is not needed nor permitted on the unit.
Laundry services are not readily available; therefore, arrangements should be made to have family/friends take care of laundry needs.
All clothing and packages brought to the hospital, after admission, will be examined prior to use on the unit. Certain items are not to be used or kept on the unit. These include:
- Make-up
- Drugs and alcoholic beverages
- Alcohol-based products (i.e., hairspray or perfume)
- Aerosol cans
- Weapons and sharp objects
- Cameras
- Lighters or any flame producing device
- Belts and/or shoelaces
- Cellphones and pagers
- Flowers with glass vases
Razors or other sharp objects needed for hygiene are to be signed out for use under supervision of staff. Only hospital supplied razors are allowed. Hairdryers are provided. Any personal electronic hair devices will be locked up or sent home with family. Medications brought to the hospital will be returned home with a family member or secured in the pharmacy. Flowers must be kept in plastic containers.
Catawba Valley Medical Center is not responsible for patient belongings or valuables. Additional belongings/valuables will be sent home with a family member or significant other. Locked storage is available if there is no family member that can take the items home. The hospital does not assume responsibility for possessions kept in the patient’s care.
Use of Restrictive Methods of Care
Catawba Valley Medical Center will use the least restrictive, safest and most effective method to manage patient behavior, thereby preventing patient and/or staff injury. Effective management includes ensuring that patient rights, dignity and physical sell-being are safeguarded. Catawba Valley Medical Center is committed to preventing the use of restrictive interventions. Patients and family members will be informed of treatment plans as soon as possible and updated as conditions change. Please let any of the staff know if there are any questions or concerns.
If you have any questions or concerns about this information, please contact the unit charge nurse for further details. Thank you for your cooperation.
