Updated: June 10, 2024
Planning Your Visit To Chester County Hospital
We understand that visits from family members and friends are a very important part of the healing process. Please review these Visitation Guidelines in detail before coming to see your loved ones. You should expect a safe and compassionate environment at Chester County Hospital.
Visiting Hours
Hospital visiting hours are from 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM seven days a week. However, please review Department-specific Guidelines which follow.
General Guidelines for all Visitors/Support Persons
- Number of Visitors: The number of visitors is dependent on the needs and comfort of the patient. Nursing staff and/or the clinical team may limit the number of visitors if it is disruptive to the healing environment.
- One visitor may remain overnight (24/7 visitation).
- There is no age restriction, however, children 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
- Visitor identification: All Visitors must check in at the Main Entrance to confirm their destination.
- Code of Conduct: We are committed to taking great care of your loved ones. To do that our teams need to be treated with respect. As described in our Code of Conduct, disruptive behavior is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. Behavior that creates a risk to patients, families, or staff may lead to the immediate restriction of visitation.
- Exceptions: Managers may approve exceptions in certain circumstances within departments. If there is an issue or question as to whether a visitor may come into the hospital, the Nurse Manager (or designee) with be contacted.
Masking
- Any patient, visitor or employee who has respiratory symptoms must mask.
- All visitors must adhere to patient and/or department specific infection prevention precautions. This may include, but is not limited to masks, gowns, and gloves.
Please Also Remember:
- If you are not feeling well, please do not visit.
- Always wash your hands before entering and exiting patients' room as well as after using the restroom.
Department-Specific Visitation Guidelines
Emergency Department (ED):
- Upon arrival to the ED, we will make every effort to keep one healthy visitor with your loved one. At times, our waiting room reaches capacity, and we may ask family members and support persons to wait in an alternate location until the patient moves into a room. Two healthy support persons can be with their loved one once they move to an ED room.
- Patients with special needs or a neurocognitive disability or behavioral concerns may have one healthy caregiver, parent or guardian remain with them.
- One family member or guardian should stay with the pediatric patient (17 years and under) until they are placed in a treatment room. Once the patient is in a room, two family members/guardians may stay.
- The hours of visitation in the Emergency Department are not restricted.
Radiation Oncology:
- Patients may have one visitor at a time. Visitors must be 14 years of age or older.
General Inpatient Units:
- Hospital visiting hours are from 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM seven days a week.
- Number of Visitors: The number of visitors is dependent on the needs and comfort of the patient. Nursing staff and/or medical team may limit the number of visitors if it is disruptive to the healing environment.
- One visitor may remain overnight (24/7 visitation).
- There is no age restriction, however, children 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
- ICU: One support person with permission may stay overnight. Visitors are limited to three people at a time.
Maternal Child Services:
- Antepartum: Patients may have three adult visitors; switching permitted. Children of the patient may visit during visiting hours with supervision.
- Labor & Delivery/Triage: Patients may have three adult visitors (age 16 or older, doula not included), no switching. The designated visitors will receive a bracelet on arrival to L&D and will be required to wear and present the bracelet each time they leave and come back to Labor and Delivery. No children permitted to visit laboring or delivered patients in Labor and Delivery.
- Post-Delivery Readmission: Patients may have three adult visitors (age 16 or older) no switching. Children of the patient may visit with supervision. Patients readmitted for Magnesium therapy may have their newborn with them provided there is always a support person at the bedside as primary caregiver for the newborn.
- Maternity: Patients may have three adult visitors, including the support person. The unit will have Quiet Time every day from 2 PM - 4 PM; therefore no visitors besides the support person during that time. Siblings are welcome during visiting hours.
- NICU: Patients may have two visitors at a time. A parent/support person who has a bracelet must accompany any adult visitor. Children 15 and under are not permitted. (View "Modified Masking Policy for Staff and Visitors in the NICU - Effective Feb.7, 2025").
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine (Outpatient Site): One adult visitor may accompany the patient. They may bring a child if needed but the child must remain with an adult at all times/be in a stroller if of appropriate age.
- OB Clinic: No restrictions.
- Pediatrics: Patients may have three visitors at a time. An adult must accompany visitors under the age 16. Siblings are welcome during visiting hours. Two parents or support person(s) over the age of 18 are welcome to spend the night with the patient.
Cardiology/Surgical Services/Catheterization & EP Prep/Recovery, ACC and Prep/Recovery:
- There may be no more than two visitors at the patient’s bedside at a time. Exceptions may be made.
COVID Patients
Visitor guidelines for COVID patients are as follows:
- One caregiver or visitor and one alternate individual may be able to visit throughout the hospital stay.
- These two designated people are the only two visitors allowed throughout the entire hospital stay.
- Only one of the two designated individuals, either the main caregiver or visitor or the alternate may visit on any given day, but not both.
- All visitations should be arranged in advance with the nursing staff on the nursing units caring for the COVID patients. For some patients undergoing specific treatments, visitation may not be allowed.
- End of life: Exceptions at the unit level may be made on these occasions and ideally in advance.
- The visitor for a COVID patient must put on full Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) including gown, gloves, medical mask, eye protection/face shield when they reach the unit. The visitor will be instructed that they may not remove the PPE while in the patient’s room for the safety of themselves and their family. The visitor will need to leave if they are observed removing PPE.