COOKEVILLE – Cookeville Regional Medical Center is implementing a change to the visitor policy effective Thursday, Aug. 6, to allow one designated visitor per patient per hospital stay.
Visitors will be allowed as follows:
- One designated visitor will be allowed per inpatient/observation patient per hospital stay. Visiting hours for these visitors will be daily from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. No overnight stays will be permitted. (Visitors for patients with special needs will be allowed for overnight stays if approved by the attending physician.)
- One parent/guardian per pediatric patient (overnight stays allowed)
- One support person in the Birthing Center (overnight stays allowed)
- One visitor in Inpatient Rehabilitation per patient per stay. Visiting hours for these visitors will be 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- One support person for surgery and procedure patients, including same day patients (must wait in patient room or car until patient returns to a room)
- End of life (number of family members to be determined by attending physician-overnight stays allowed as approved by attending physician)
- No visitors in the Emergency Department
- No visitors for COVID-19 positive or suspect patients unless it is an end of life situation approved by the attending physician
- No visitors for outpatient testing or appointments
- No visitors under age 16
All visitors must follow these guidelines:
- Enter through the North Tower main entrance or the East Entrance
- Note: Same day patients (surgery and GI procedures) will continue to enter through the West Entrance; visitor will then park and enter through the North Tower main entrance for COVID-19 screening.
- Put on a mask before entering the building.
- Wear a mask the entire time they are in the hospital.
- Be registered in the computer as the patient’s designated visitor.
- Wear an armband with patient name and room number.
- Be screened for COVID-19, including temperature checks, prior to entering the hospital (overnight visitors must be screened by the nurse each morning).
- Stay in the patient room for the entire visit – will not be permitted to go to other areas of the hospital, including the café or out to smoke.
“We appreciate our community’s understanding and patience regarding the medical center’s visitor restrictions,” said Paul Korth, CRMC CEO. “We know that the restricted visitation policy has been hard on patients and families and are glad that we can now open up visitation for one visitor per patient in the hospital. We are doing everything we possibly can to limit the spread of COVID-19 within our facility. Our providers and staff have done an outstanding job in following recommendations to prevent the spread of the virus, through personal protective equipment (PPE), good hand hygiene, proper cleaning and disinfecting as well as the wearing of masks in patient care areas and in public areas throughout the medical center.”
To protect yourself and others from the spread of COVID-19, practice good hand hygiene by washing hands often and using alcohol-based hand sanitizer of at least 60% when soap and water are not available. Keep at least a six-foot distance from others in public, avoid large gatherings and wear a facemask to protect others in case you have the virus and are asymptomatic.
“As we’ve said before, none of us want to unknowingly spread the virus to others, especially those that are high risk and immunocompromised,” added Korth. “It’s a good idea to continue following these guidelines for yourself and for the safety others.”
