Visitor Info

Visitors are an important part of the healing process, and we encourage family and friends to visit patients during their hospital stay. General visiting are 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After 8 pm, entry into the hospital is available only through the ER Department.

Some departments may have additional visitation guidelines, so please check with your nurse if you have any questions.

For the well-being of our patients, visitors are asked to please observe the following guidelines:

General Guidelines

• To support a healthy environment the Artesia General Hospital campus is smoke-free. There are no designated smoking areas on campus.
• No visitors or parents/guardians with cold or flu-like symptoms.
• All visitors must check in at the department desk.
• At 8 pm, the hospital enters a “quiet zone” until 5 am, seven days a week, to promote a healing environment for our patients. Thank you for helping us maintain a quiet, relaxing environment during these hours.
• Most patients may have up to two visitors at a time during general visiting hours, except during the quiet hours. Only one visitor will be allowed during the quiet hours of 8 pm to 5 am daily.
• Visitors under the age of 14 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult (other than a patient) and may not be left unattended in waiting rooms or other public areas.
• Artesia General Hospital may allow additional visitors and extended visiting hours for extenuating circumstances.
• When providing direct patient care, our clinical team members may ask visitors to step out of the room for a brief time.
• Artesia General Hospital may limit visitation based on the patient’s clinical status.
• Masks are available at the concierge desks near the main entrance. Practice good hand hygiene, including always using hand sanitizer when entering and exiting a patient room.
• Visitors must cooperate with all directives from Artesia General Hospital staff when visiting.
• To respect the dietary restrictions of all patients, visitors are not allowed to bring food or drinks into patient rooms.
• Visitors are not allowed to share or use unoccupied patient beds.
• To promote the highest level of safety and reduce the risk of falls, your care team may utilize cameras to monitor your health and well-being in between room visits. Please be aware you could be viewed/recorded indirectly to support your care. Do not interfere or tamper with these cameras.

Emergency Department:

• One visitor may accompany the patient.
• Exceptions for extenuating circumstances will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Surgical Services and GI Endoscopy Services:

• One visitor may accompany the patient to the Preoperative area if they need caregiver support prior to surgery.
• One visitor may visit in PACU (recovery room) once the patient is PACU stable and in conjunction with RN staff based on other unit determinates (critical patients etc.) in the unit.
• Exceptions for extenuating circumstances will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
• Pediatric patient support by parents is encouraged.

Security:

• The Hospital has zero tolerance for violence (see Violence Free Work Environment Policy). Security will be contacted if a visitor is disruptive, inebriated, abusive, threatening, coercive, disrespectful to staff or patients, or otherwise interferes with hospital operations or patient care.
• Security will be notified if a visitor is suspected of committing a criminal act.