Visitors play an important role in helping patients recover.

Visitor guidelines:

• Respect patient privacy: Visitors may be asked to wait outside the patient's room while the medical team provides care.
• Check before you bring food or flowers: Some patients may have dietary restrictions, so talk to the unit nurse before bringing food. Also, keep in mind that flowers and plants are not permitted in some hospital areas, such as the intensive care unit. You may bring balloons as long as they do not contain latex.
• Don’t smoke: Prentice Women's Hospital is a smoke-free environment. All smoking materials are strictly prohibited on the hospital campus.
• Keep your hands clean: Wash or sanitize your hands when entering and leaving the patient’s room. (You may use soap and sanitizer in patient rooms.) Clean your hands after sneezing, coughing, or touching your eyes, nose or mouth; after using the restroom; and before and after eating and drinking. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your sleeve. Do not sit on patient beds or handle equipment.
• Be respectful of other patients: While in the hospital, we ask that you speak quietly and keep noise to a minimum.
• Stay home if you are sick: Do not visit the hospital if you—or any guests or children who accompany you—are sick or have had any ill symptoms within the last three days, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, uncontrolled cough or rash.
• Wear your pass: All visitors must obtain a pass at the information desk on the first floor, including expectant fathers. The badge is valid only for the date and area displayed and must be worn at all times while inside the hospital.
• Keep a close eye on children: All children under age 12 must be in the company and under the supervision of a responsible adult (other than the patient). Our medical staff may determine at any time that children may not visit depending on the patient. Visiting children must be free from illness and should not have had contact with ill persons.

Please review the following guidelines if you are visiting a specialized care unit.

Antepartum and Postpartum Unit:

• The primary support person has unlimited access to the antepartum patient.
• Visitors must stop at the unit reception desk prior to entrance to the unit.
• The mother and her primary support person share the responsibility of preventing the exposure of the pregnant mother and/or newborn to a sibling with a contagious illness.
• Siblings who have been exposed to a known communicable disease, such as varicella (chickenpox), are not allowed to visit.

Antepartum and Postpartum Unit visiting guidelines for children:

• Children under age 12 are not allowed to visit patient rooms unless they are children or stepchildren of the patient. They are allowed to wait in the lobby or restaurant area with a responsible adult.
• Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult other than the mother at all times.
• Children must be free from illness and free from recent contact with infectious persons.
• Any child with a fever or symptoms of an acute illness such as upper respiratory infection or gastroenteritis is not allowed to visit.

Labor and Delivery Unit:

Four visitors per patient are permitted on the unit, with the exception of the OR area, where only one visitor per patient is permitted.

OB evaluation/triage:

One visitor is permitted with the patient.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU):

• Parents/guardians may be with their baby 24 hours a day. While we provide certain types of care, however, you may be asked to step out of the NICU.
• Grandparents, other family members and friends may visit anytime, but a parent or guardian must be present.
• A total of four people may visit at the baby's bedside at one time.
• Siblings ages 2 to 11 may be with the baby in the NICU from 10 am to 10 pm. To prepare for the sibling visit, please talk with the NICU nurse.
• You may bring in a small toy or an outfit for your baby. Label all items with your baby's last name using a laundry marker. We ask that you please limit the number of items that you bring since space is limited and your baby may be overstimulated by too many items.

To help prevent the spread of germs, each time you enter the NICU, please follow these steps:

• Leave your valuables at home.
• Remove rings, watches and bracelets (except infant ID band).
• Place belongings in the locker provided.
• Turn off cell phones.
• The NICU staff will direct you to the area to wash your hands. Roll up sleeves above the elbow. Wash hands with soap and water, and dry completely.
• As needed, use the nail picks provided for cleaning under your nails.
• Apply waterless hand cleanser, and clean hands and forearms to elbows. Allow to air dry.
• Clean your hands with the waterless hand scrub at your infant’s bedside before and after touching your baby.

To find a patient, please call the hospital operator at 312.926.2000, TTY 711.

Additional visitor information

High-speed wireless internet access is available in Prentice Women's Hospital as well as some areas of Northwestern Memorial Hospital Feinberg, Olson and Galter pavilions.