PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Northern Light AR Gould Hospital is pleased to announce that patients in the hospital will once again be able to have visitors in a limited capacity starting Monday, Jan. 31.
“While COVID is certainly still a concern, after careful consideration we feel that the positive impact the visit of a loved one has on a patient’s health makes this an important step to take,” said Jay Reynolds, senior physician executive. “We have appropriate protocols in place to offer limited visitation in a way that is safe for our patients, our visitors, and our staff.”
Starting on Monday, patients in the Medical/Surgical, Inpatient Rehabilitation, and Specialty Intensive Care Units who are not COVID positive will be able to have one visitor per day. Visiting hours will be daily from noon to 2 pm. Visitors can stay as long as they like during those hours, but once they leave, they cannot return until the next day. The patient’s one daily visitor can be a different person on different days.
For the Women and Children’s unit, one support person continues to be allowed with an expectant mother for the duration of her hospitalization; this person can leave and return once each day. For pediatric patients, one parent/guardian at a time can stay with their child, alternating once each day. There are no defined visiting hours for this unit.
Also starting on Monday, patients being treated in the Emergency Department can now have one person accompany them in an ED exam room. The visitor must stay in the patient’s room at all times.
Visitors continue to be restricted from accompanying patients in hospital areas such as Day Surgery, Lab, Imaging, and Rehabilitation, other than specific exceptions, such as those coming in as support for pediatric or special needs patients.
Exceptions to this policy may be made under certain circumstances. All visitors and patients at any AR Gould facility must wear a medical-grade mask which will be provided by the hospital for the duration of their visit. They must also be screened upon arrival, including a temperature check; hand sanitize; and follow physical distancing guidelines.
