Visiting Hours & Policies

Welcoming Policy

Updated: August 31, 2022

We value the families and support persons of our patients and their visits to CVMC. This policy helps guide visitation while protecting everyone who enters our buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic. We update this policy regularly, based on state and federal guidelines and the presence of COVID-19 in our community.

COVID-19 Screening

• Everyone entering a UVM Health Network building is screened for COVID-19 symptoms before entry.
• Visitors must be free of COVID-19 symptoms.
• No visitors with a COVID-19 positive test result in the past 10 days. (Exceptions are made for end-of-life and beginning-of-life patient care.)

Surgical Masks Required

• Everyone over the age of 2 must wear a surgical mask that covers their nose and mouth for the entire time they are in the building; this includes visitors who are sleeping while staying overnight.
• A surgical mask is provided to anyone who needs one.
• Visitors actively eating and drinking in cafeteria areas may remove masks but are encouraged to keep time spent without a mask on to a minimum.
• Those not able or willing to wear a mask must leave the building. (Security will escort anyone unwilling to mask or refuses to leave.)

Hand Cleaning

• We ask everyone to clean their hands each time they enter or exit the building, a department or nursing unit, or a patient room.

Vaccination

• We strongly encourage everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine to protect our vulnerable patient populations.

Definitions

• Support person: a visitor supporting a patient.
• Caregiver: an adult responsible for direct care and supervision of a child or an adult with special needs.

During a Visit

• Caregivers and support persons can leave and re-enter but must rescreen upon each entry.
• Caregivers and support persons are asked to please limit repeated exits and returns to the building, and to stay in the patient room during the visit and limit time in hallways, cafeterias and lobbies.
• Certain areas with high-risk patients may impose additional restrictions for the safety of patients, visitors and caregivers.

Special Considerations

• Exceptions to this policy are made on a case-by-case basis. The Administrative Nursing Coordinator on duty makes the final approval for an exception.
• One support person, in addition to those allowed by each department in this policy, is permitted for patients with a cognitive impairment or disability who require assistance to access care.
• The University of Vermont Health Network provides professional interpreting services by hospital-contracted interpreters, who are members of the care team. Support persons should not be asked to interpret.
• American Disability Act (ADA) service animals, therapy dogs/support animals, and service animals in training are allowed at CVMC in alignment with current hospital policy and ADA guidelines.
• Visitation rules apply equally to employees who wish to visit friends or family regardless of whether they are on or off duty.
• Children are welcome to visit as one of the allotted support persons, regardless of age, as long as an adult caregiver accompanies them. Children over the age of 2 are expected to comply with masking requirements.