Compassionate care means safe care

At Ascension St. Vincent in Indiana, your health and safety are our priority. Our facilities — hospitals, emergency rooms, clinics and offices — continue to implement safety precautions to minimize the exposure risks related to coronavirus (COVID-19). From screening our associates and visitors to rigorous cleaning and disinfecting procedures, we are balancing care with caution.

Associate & Visitor Screenings

All our associates, providers and contracted employees screen for symptoms of illness before they come to work to ensure they are healthy and symptom-free before entering our facilities or providing care. In addition, all visitors are prompted to not enter if they are feeling ill or have been exposed to COVID-19.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Protocols

Our environmental services teams perform rigorous disinfecting measures at all our facilities. A comprehensive cleaning protocol has been developed which includes the cleaning and disinfecting of every horizontal and vertical surface in our facilities - including HVAC systems.

Hand Hygiene

Performing proper hand hygiene is one the most important things you can do to keep yourself safe and healthy. Associates and providers are required to perform rigorous hand hygiene measures as part of their work. Associates, providers, patients and visitors all have easy access to hand hygiene supplies - including soap, water and hand sanitizer stations throughout staff, patient and public areas of our facilities.

Masking & Social Distancing

Every associate, provider and contracted employee is required to wear the personal protective equipment (PPE) and masking appropriate for their job. This includes wearing a mask at all times (except while eating or alone in a private office) while in our facilities. In addition, all visitors to our Hospitals and ERs will be provided with a surgical mask. To promote and ensure social distancing, we have implemented separate intake and care areas, staggered appointment times and waiting room distancing measures. All visitors to our facilities are required to wear a mask.

Influenza Visitor Restriction

Thank you for your understanding as we strive to keep our patients, families, visitors and associates healthy and safe.

Indiana is experiencing a significant increase in influenza-like illnesses (commonly known as flu), as well as COVID-19. In an effort to protect our patients, families, visitors and associates, Ascension St. Vincent is implementing updated temporary Visitor Restrictions, effective Monday, December 5. This temporary restriction at our sites of care will assist us in limiting the spread of the influenza and COVID-19 viruses, ensuring that we are best equipped to provide exceptional care to our patients.

In alignment with the latest recommendations from public health authorities and city and state officials, visitation at Ascension St. Vincent will be limited based on the following criteria:

• No visitors with influenza-like or COVID-19-like illness, fever or cough
• No visitors under age 18 (except emancipated minors or parents of patients)
• No visitors beyond immediate family, partner or significant other as determined by the patient, with a limit of two (2) visitors at a time

Ascension St. Vincent has implemented additional visitor restrictions for the safety of the Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care patients in our care:

• Visitation will be limited to two (2) parents/guardians and four (4) designated adults identified by the parents/guardians, not to exceed a total of six (6) designated adults

We will continue to monitor flu and COVID-19 activity in the communities/counties and lift these restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. 

Should you have questions or concerns requiring special consideration, please reach out to yourloved one's nurse.

Ascension St. Vincent complies with all safety and health standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This notice is intended to satisfy the requirements of Indiana Executive Order 20-50.

Visitation Guidelines Applicable to All Visitors

1. Visitation hours vary between Ascension St. Vincent locations
2. Patients may have an unlimited number of visitors with consideration to patient’s room size and ability for staff to provide safe care to patients
   1. Exception – specialty units and patients who are in isolation precautions my have a limited number of visitors
3. All visitors will self-screen for COVID-19 exposure and symptoms via signage posted at entrances. Visitors are not permitted to visit if they screen positive for:
   1. COVID-19 symptoms (fever/chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste/smell, congestion, sore throat, vomiting/diarrhea) 
   2. Have knowingly been exposed to a person with COVID-19 in the past 14 days 
   3. Have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days (day 0 is the first day of symptoms or positive test)
4. All visitors must wear a mask at all times
5. Minors ages 2-17 may visit if accompanied by an adult visitor (minors must be able to wear a mask at all times during visitation) 
6. No large gatherings in waiting rooms or spaces to promote social distancing and a safe environment for all visitors and staff

Visitation for COVID-19 Positive Patients or Persons Under Investigation (PUI) for COVID-19

Note: Hospital staff will assist with education and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment

1. Patients are permitted to have two (2) visitors at a time
2. No visitors under the age of 18 unless they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or are the parent of the patient
3. Visitors may NOT enter the room during an Aerosol Generating Procedure (AGP)
   1. Visitors must wait until the appropriate post-AGP exposure period has passed

Note: Visiting hours may vary by facility and/or department. Each ministry may adjust the guidelines for other special circumstances with individual patients and local prevalence rates under the direction and approval of Infection Prevention, Infectious Disease Physician and Administration.