Manatee Memorial Hospital extends visiting time for inpatient nursing units by 3 hours
Manatee Memorial Hospital extended inpatient nursing units visitation by an additional three hours on Tuesday.
The expansion of visiting hours comes one week after Manatee Memorial partially lifted a ban on inpatient visitation that had been in place since March 18 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hospital now allows one visitor, age 18 or older to visit patients in the nursing inpatient units from noon until 6 p.m.
Patients who are positive for COVID-19 or are being tested for COVID-19 will not be allowed visitors. The hospital encourages family and friends to continue to call, use FaceTime or Skype if they are unable to visit their loved one or friend.
All hospital visitors are required to enter through the main entrance of the hospital, use antibacterial foam, receive a temperature check and answer a screening questionnaire. The visitor will be required to wear a mask upon entry and keep it on at all times, while at the hospital. Visitors may provide their own mask or the hospital will provide one for them. Visitors will also be required to stay in the specific room assigned to the patient.
Other visitation rules:
▪ Emergency Department - Limit of one visitor age 18 or older may accompany a patient in the ER. The visitor must come in with the patient at the time of arrival. The patient and the visitor will be required to wear a mask upon entry and keep it on at all times. The visitor must stay in the specific room assigned to the patient until discharge.
▪ Surgical/procedural areas – Limit of one visitor age 18 or older may accompany the patient for admitting and pre-surgical areas. The visitor will need to leave before the surgery starts and may not wait at the hospital. The visitor will be notified when the patient is ready to be picked up and given their discharge information. The visitor again needs a mask on as they enter the building for discharge.
▪ Labor and Delivery: limitation of one support person who may stay overnight and must wear a mask.
▪ Momand Baby/Post-partum: one support person who may stay overnight and must wear a mask. Reminder for OB patient’s families: when picking up mothers and/or newborns, please secure someone to watch older children, since they are not able to visit the hospital.
▪ Neonatal: one support person that wears a mask.
▪ Special needs patients, compassionate care/end-of-life situations. All visitors must wear a mask.
Visit www.manateememorial.com and click on Health Alert for additional information or follow Manatee Memorial’s Facebook.
Patient visitation at other Bradenton area hospitals
▪ Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, 8330 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., on June 1 began allowing one visitor, age 18 or older, to visit patients in the nursing inpatient units from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4- 7 p.m. daily.
Patients at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center who are positive for COVID-19 or are being tested for COVID-19 will not be allowed visitors and additional restrictions may be in place for other patients on isolation precautions. Limited exceptions may be made for certain compassionate care/end-of-life situations.
All Lakewood Ranch Medical Center visitors are required to be screened, wear a mask and use hand-sanitizing gel upon entering the facility as well as entering and exiting a patient room.
▪ Blake Medical Center, 2020 59th St. W., has not lifted its ban on visiting inpatients.
One visitor per patient is allowed in the Blake emergency room for patients having outpatient surgeries or other outpatient procedures requiring sedation. No visitors are allowed for patients in inpatient units. Exceptions are made on an individual basis.
Blake’s visitation policy can be found at https://blakemedicalcenter.com/covid-19/visitor-policy.dot)
Blake Medical Center’s website contains information about universal masking as well as other enhanced safety protections at https://blakemedicalcenter.com/covid-19/latest-updates/enhanced-safety-protections.dot.
