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Visiting Hours and Guidelines

Regular visiting hours are from 3 to 8 p.m. daily with a limit of two visitors at a time.

The Ottawa Hospital welcomes visitors.Our visiting hours and guidelines are designed to balance the patient’s needs for visitors and the health care team’s responsibilities to provide timely treatments and procedure. We thank you for your cooperation.

Before you visit:

• If you have a cough, fever, runny nose, diarrhea or another contagious disease – please do not visit.
• Wash your hands regularly – it is the best way to prevent the spread of germs and diseases.
• Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times, except in the Cancer Centre treatment areas or in unit 5 West at the General Campus, where they are not permitted.

Requests to visit outside of the normal visiting hours will be granted, on an individual basis, for compassionate reasons. Please check with the nurse.

Inpatients at TOH

Regular visiting hours are daily, 3 - 8 p.m. No more than two visitors at a time.

The Rehabilitation Centre

Visiting hours are: Mon. - Fri., 3 - 8 p.m. ; Sat., Sun., Statutory Holidays, 12 - 8 p.m.

Special consideration is given to:

• Personal caregivers
• Persons required by the care team to attend meetings, conferences, education sessions, therapy sessions or other related appointments in the course of the patient’s rehabilitation.
• Vendors, to meet with individual patients in the selection of assistive devices.

Units

Emergency Departments - Only one family member or personal caregiver may accompany a patient in the treatment area. Other visitors are not permitted in the treatment areas.

Birthing Units - Fathers/partners and up to two additional visitors are allowed any time.

Mother Baby Units - Father/partner may visit at any time. Up to two additional visitors are permitted between 3 and 8:00 pm. daily.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit / Rich Little Nursery - Parents, in consultation with unit staff, are permitted any time. Up to two additional visitors are permitted between 3 and 7 p.m. daily. In special circumstances, exceptions will be made for Birthing Units, Mother-Baby Units and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Unit 5 West - General Campus
Visitors should never come into the hospital with a contagious illness and will not be allowed to enter the unit with cough, cold, fever, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Visiting hours are from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. and are restricted to 2 visitors at a time. Other visiting restrictions may be imposed at different times dependent upon the patient’s condition. Visitors are recommended to phone into the hospital in advance. No children under the age of 12 will be permitted to visit on the unit.

Intensive Care/Coronary Care Units - Access is dependent on the patient’s condition. Family members and visitors should report to the Family Lounge outside of each unit. No more than two visitors at any time.

Post-Anesthetic Care Units (Recovery Room) - No visitors allowed.

Surgical Day Care Units - No visitors allowed. A family waiting area is provided in the unit.

Trauma Unit (Civic Campus) - Mon. - Fri., 3 - 8 p.m. ; Sat., Sun. and Statutory Holidays, 12 noon to 8 p.m.

Psychiatry - Mon. - Fri., 4 - 8 p.m. ; Sat., Sun, Stat Holidays, 12 noon - 8 p.m. Special consideration is given to:

• Personal caregivers
• Persons required by the care team to attend meetings, conferences, education sessions, therapy sessions or other related appointments in the course of the patient’s rehabilitation.

University of Ottawa Heart Institute

Up to two visitors are permitted between 2 and 8 p.m. daily. Exceptions will be made for patients in critical condition.

Definitions

Visitors - spouses, family members and friends of the patient

Personal Caregivers - individuals designated by the patient on admission to support and assist the patient during the hospital stay and during the discharge process

Inpatients - people who are admitted to the hospital for treatment and require at least one overnight stay.

Outpatients - people who come to the hospital for an appointment, a treatment or a surgery but DO NOT require an overnight stay. Outpatients may have one person accompany them to and from an appointment, treatment or day surgery.