Visitor guidelines

Updated 4/23/2024

At Dell Children’s, patients and families are at the core of delivering Relationship-Based Care. Patients receive care across our facilities in partnership with families. These relationships are important to the health, healing, and well-being of Dell Children’s patients. Our visitation guidance allows us to provide a safe environment, high-quality care, and positive experiences when and where our patients need us. Thank you for allowing Dell Children’s to care for you and your family!

Visitation Overview

• All parents, legal guardians, siblings, and visitors should be healthy, without symptoms of illness. Hands must be cleaned with soap and water or hand sanitizer before and after visiting.
• Dell Children’s facilities are drug, alcohol, and smoke-free. Weapons are not permitted on our campuses. No threatening, abusive, or disruptive language is permitted. We have zero tolerance for any acts of violence or threats of violence.
• Parents and or legal guardians are not considered visitors, they are an important part of the care team and are welcome in the hospital at any time. Siblings are welcome at Dell Children’s with some limitations based on where the patient is receiving care. Visitors include friends, clergy members, and others you may invite to visit the patient. Extended family members and close friends, including patient partners, are considered visitors, not guardians or siblings. All minors must be accompanied at all times by an adult, who is not the patient, in all areas of Dell Children’s campuses. 
• The visitation guidance will remain the same during national holidays unless otherwise communicated. Departments may provide additional visitation guidance for the safety and needs of patients in their care. Changes in visitation may be indicated at any time to ensure the health and safety of our patients, families, and associates. All hospitalized patients and families will be notified of any changes. 

Visitor Hours and Entry

Hospital visitation hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

All visitors should enter through the main entrance when open. The Main Entrance at all hospital campuses is open from 5:30 am - 9:00 pm. Parents and guardians may use the Emergency Department entrance for access when the main entrance is closed.

Outpatient Services opening and closing times are unique to each area. Please contact the office you will be seeing for more information.

Guidance for Hospitalized Patients

During visitation hours, four (4) visitors, including parents or legal guardians, are allowed in the room at the same time in 3 South, 3 Central, 3 North, 4 South, 4 North, 3 East, the Specialized Delivery Unit, and North Campus Acute Care. In these units, there is no age restriction for visitation.

During visitation hours, two (2) visitors, including parents or legal guardians, are allowed in the room at the same time in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (2 East and North campus), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Care Unit (2 North/2 Central) and Intermediate Care Unit (4 East). In these units, only siblings who are 15 years of age and over may visit.

• To ensure the safety of our patients and the patients’ siblings, no siblings may stay overnight in the hospital. See below for details on exceptions for breastfeeding siblings.
• Visitors may not stay overnight in the hospital.
• Parents and legal guardians may designate another adult family member to stay overnight in their place if they choose. 

For ALL patients on isolation precautions:

• The patient's location in the hospital determines the number of visitors allowed.
• All visitors, including the parents or legal guardians, should stay in the room and not go to public areas in the hospital (i.e. nutrition rooms, cafeterias) until isolation is stopped.
• Parents, legal guardians, and visitors may be asked to wear a hospital provided mask and must wash their hands upon entering and exiting the patient’s room.

For patients in our Mental Health Unit, four (4) visitors, including parents or legal guardians, are approved for visitation per patient in the consult rooms. 

Visitation Exception Process

A formal request to the unit manager or Director on call (for after hours) is required for exceptions to these visitation guidelines and are granted for a specified period of time.

Patients who are at the end of life or enrolled in hospice services receive an automatic exception.

For siblings who are breastfeeding, mothers:

• will receive an automatic exception for the breastfeeding sibling to stay overnight in 3 South, 3 Central, 3 North, 4 South, 4 North, 3 East, the Specialized Delivery Unit, and North Campus Acute Care. 
• may receive an exception from the manager or director of the unit for the breastfeeding sibling to stay overnight if the patient condition allows in the Pediatric Intensive Care Units (2 East and
  North campus), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and Cardiac Care Unit (2 North/2 Central).

Trauma and emergency room admissions with siblings will be provided 24 hours to arrange care for any other children. 

Guidance for patients in our Emergency Departments and SDU triage

• Two (2) visitors, including parents or legal guardians, will be allowed with the patient.

Guidance for Surgery patients

• Four (4) visitors, including parents or legal guardians, will be allowed with the patient while receiving care in the facility. 

Guidance for patients in our Outpatient Settings

• Visitation guidance in our outpatient areas and clinics is unique in each care setting to meet the needs of our patients. Please contact the department where you will receive care for additional
  guidance and questions.