Kitchener hospitals expand visiting times to 24 hours

The phrase "visiting hours are over" won't likely be spoken around Kitchener hospitals again.

Patients at Grand River Hospital and St. Mary's General Hospital are now able to have visitors drop by 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The expanded visiting hours took effect Wednesday.

Both hospitals had previously welcomed visitors on a 24/7 basis for patients requiring intensive or palliative care, but the expanded hours will include all patients. All a visitor needs to do is get the patient's permission before they drop by.

An essential part of the health care team

"Patients want access to their families, especially in a time of crisis, and that could be any time," said Terry Boshart, manager of professional practice and patient safety at St. Mary's. "And the family wants access to the patient as well."

He said the announcement of these new visiting hours was driven by patients and their families. Patients want to have control over when they can see their loved ones, he said.

Having somebody familiar there is really important.- Terry Boshart, St. Mary's Hospital

Once patients give consent to have a visitor, and it's OK with their roommates if they happen to share a room, there should be no problem with having visitors at any time. If it's the middle of the night and roommates are sleeping, it may be possible for a patient to meet with visitors in a separate room on the floor, he said. 

Visitors are seen as essential part of the health care team, Boshart said. It's good to have them in the room not only for support purposes, but also because family members tend to ask questions patients wouldn't think of asking.

"It's been shown, especially with the elderly, to actually reduce the length of stay. That's mostly because that family presence can be very important in preventing delirium," he said. "Having somebody familiar there is really important."

'Common sense will prevail'

​Mark Karjaluoto, spokesman for Grand River Hospital, said many hospitals across the country are in the process of, or have already switched to, welcoming visitors 24/7. The new guidelines will help bring hospital staff, patients and visitors onto the same page.

He said he doesn't expect there to be any additional costs involved or change in staffing to accommodate these new hours. He also doesn't anticipate there to be any conflict with people coming to visit patients late at night.

"I think common sense will prevail with this," he said, adding visitors will be expected to keep the noise down and respect the other patients on the floor.

Steps to visiting after hours

After hours for St. Mary's is between 8:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. At Grand River's K-W campus, after hours runs between 11 p.m. and 5:45 a.m. and at the Freeport campus (3570 King St. E.) after hours is between 11 p.m. and 5:45 a.m. 

Visitors are asked to:

• Obtain patient consent and be respectful of roommates.
• Enter through the emergency department and check in with the security office.
• Avoid visiting if you have a cold, the flu or a stomach virus.
• Check in with the nursing station first.