Clinton Memorial Hospital joins other hospitals in restricting visitors to limit spread of illness
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As winter respiratory illnesses begin to arrive, and a small number of cases of flu were confirmed, many hospitals in southwestOhio, northern Kentucky, and southeast Indiana began limiting visitation on December 20—including Clinton Memorial Hospital.
The goal of limited visitation is to keep to a minimum the spread of respiratory diseases to hospital patients, according to Robin Pavey, infection control nurse for CMH Regional Health System.
“There are signs once again posted throughout the hospital indicating that we are restricting visitation,” Pavey says. “There should be no visitations by anyone who is ill with any respiratory symptoms, including coughing, sneezing, runny nose and fever and no visitation by anyone under the age of 14.”
“Winter brings an increase in a number of respiratory illnesses, not just flu,” said Tonda Francis, vice president of the Greater Cincinnati Health Council, of which CMH is a member. “And, although we know it’s difficult to ask family members and friends to stay away from their loved ones in the hospital, we also know visitors wouldn’t want to make their loved ones even sicker than they already are.”
Hospitals’ decisions about visiting restrictions vary with the types of patients they serve and the specific services provided. For example, those hospitals serving special patient populations such as burn, transplant or intensive care patients may institute even more restrictive visitation policies.
Also, hospitals with obstetrical services may make exceptions to the restrictions for a newborn’s siblings who have received their flu vaccination at least seven to 14 days prior to visiting. Hospitals will consider other exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Area hospitals have been working to protect their patients as much as possible from being exposed to respiratory illnesses including flu.
In addition, hospitals have put “respiratory etiquette” practices in place including making alcohol hand gel, tissues and face masks available to patients and visitors in emergency departments and waiting rooms, and in some cases, separating an area in the waiting room for those with respiratory symptoms.
“If you are sick, please use good common sense to prevent the spread of germs that may make others sick,” Francis says. “If you have a cold, the flu or other respiratory illness, don’t visit patients in hospitals or nursing homes. In fact, the best precaution is to just stay home. If you must go out, remember to cover your cough and wash your hands frequently.”
To keep from spreading respiratory illnesses including flu to others, the Center for Disease Control recommends careful hand-washing, coughing and sneezing into a sleeve or a tissue, and staying home from work or school when you are sick. But, the single most effective way to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot each year.
If you haven’t already, it’s not too late to get a flu shot in December or January. In fact, peak flu season will not begin for a couple of months, so there’s still plenty of time to be protected before flu season kicks into high gear.
For more information on flu prevention, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm. For the most up-to-date information on flu shot availability locally, contact your physician or local health department.
Unless respiratory diseases are still highly prevalent in the Tri-state, most area hospitals plan to discontinue visiting restrictions on or about March 15, 2011.
The Greater Cincinnati Health Council works with Tri-state hospitals and other health care providers to promote high quality, cost effective health care in the community. The council is a recognized resource for information about area hospitals and the complex issues facing the health care industry.
The Greater Cincinnati Flu Collaborative seeks to increase awareness about the importance of flu vaccination through outreach and educational efforts to the general public and the health care community and, in years when flu vaccine is in short supply or is delayed, plays the pivotal role of facilitating the redistribution of vaccine in the region.
As winter respiratory illnesses begin to arrive, and a small number of cases of flu were confirmed, many hospitals in southwestOhio, northern Kentucky, and southeast Indiana began limiting visitation on December 20—including Clinton Memorial Hospital.
The goal of limited visitation is to keep to a minimum the spread of respiratory diseases to hospital patients, according to Robin Pavey, infection control nurse for CMH Regional Health System.
“There are signs once again posted throughout the hospital indicating that we are restricting visitation,” Pavey says. “There should be no visitations by anyone who is ill with any respiratory symptoms, including coughing, sneezing, runny nose and fever and no visitation by anyone under the age of 14.”
“Winter brings an increase in a number of respiratory illnesses, not just flu,” said Tonda Francis, vice president of the Greater Cincinnati Health Council, of which CMH is a member. “And, although we know it’s difficult to ask family members and friends to stay away from their loved ones in the hospital, we also know visitors wouldn’t want to make their loved ones even sicker than they already are.”
Hospitals’ decisions about visiting restrictions vary with the types of patients they serve and the specific services provided. For example, those hospitals serving special patient populations such as burn, transplant or intensive care patients may institute even more restrictive visitation policies.
Also, hospitals with obstetrical services may make exceptions to the restrictions for a newborn’s siblings who have received their flu vaccination at least seven to 14 days prior to visiting. Hospitals will consider other exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Area hospitals have been working to protect their patients as much as possible from being exposed to respiratory illnesses including flu.
In addition, hospitals have put “respiratory etiquette” practices in place including making alcohol hand gel, tissues and face masks available to patients and visitors in emergency departments and waiting rooms, and in some cases, separating an area in the waiting room for those with respiratory symptoms.
“If you are sick, please use good common sense to prevent the spread of germs that may make others sick,” Francis says. “If you have a cold, the flu or other respiratory illness, don’t visit patients in hospitals or nursing homes. In fact, the best precaution is to just stay home. If you must go out, remember to cover your cough and wash your hands frequently.”
To keep from spreading respiratory illnesses including flu to others, the Center for Disease Control recommends careful hand-washing, coughing and sneezing into a sleeve or a tissue, and staying home from work or school when you are sick. But, the single most effective way to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot each year.
If you haven’t already, it’s not too late to get a flu shot in December or January. In fact, peak flu season will not begin for a couple of months, so there’s still plenty of time to be protected before flu season kicks into high gear.
For more information on flu prevention, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm. For the most up-to-date information on flu shot availability locally, contact your physician or local health department.
Unless respiratory diseases are still highly prevalent in the Tri-state, most area hospitals plan to discontinue visiting restrictions on or about March 15, 2011.
The Greater Cincinnati Health Council works with Tri-state hospitals and other health care providers to promote high quality, cost effective health care in the community. The council is a recognized resource for information about area hospitals and the complex issues facing the health care industry.
The Greater Cincinnati Flu Collaborative seeks to increase awareness about the importance of flu vaccination through outreach and educational efforts to the general public and the health care community and, in years when flu vaccine is in short supply or is delayed, plays the pivotal role of facilitating the redistribution of vaccine in the region.
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