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Cape Fear Valley Health Modifies Visitation Policies

As the community’s positive test rate and the health system’s COVID-19 admissions have continued to trend downward, Cape Fear Valley Health is making the following modifications to the current visitation policy. These changes will go into effect at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Most Cape Fear Valley Medical Center inpatients, Cape Fear Valley Rehabilitation Center patients, Bladen County Hospital and Hoke Hospital patients may have no more than two visitors at a time from noon and 8 p.m. Visitors must be at least 12 years old. Visitors may come and go, and one visitor may stay the night unless mentioned as a unit-specific restriction below.

Visitors and patients in all Cape Fear Valley Health facilities and clinics are required to properly wear a mask at all times. Masks must remain on at all times, even in patients’ rooms, or the visitor will be asked to leave. Neck gaiters are not permitted. This mask policy will be strictly enforced.

All visitors will be screened with a brief verbal questionnaire and a temperature scan before being allowed entry. Those who r efuse to answer the questions or who have a temperature above 100.3 Fahrenheit will be denied entry.

The health system still has some further restrictions in certain parts of the medical center and other locations, as follows:

Surgery and procedural patients will be allowed one visitor in the pre-op area, but two visitors may wait in the surgical waiting room if arriving with the patient. Additionally, surgery patients may have one visitor in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit if they are waiting to be admitted to the hospital. Once a surgery patient or procedural patient has been admitted, two visitors can go with the patient to their room.

Inpatients awaiting surgery or a procedure may have the standard number of visitors during visiting hours. Additionally, one support person may stay with the patient overnight and remain until the patient is taken to surgery.

Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital surgical patients may have one support person, who may wait in the lobby during the procedure.
In the Emergency Department, one visitor at a time will be allowed once the patient is placed in a private treatment room.

Labor and Delivery patients are allowed 3 support persons with the patient (one of which may include a doula), all of whom must be at least 16 years old. No other visitors are allowed. Support persons are not allowed to switch with other people, and they cannot leave and return.

In the Family Centered Care Unit, there may be one support person to spend the night. The support person must be over the age of 16 and may come and go. Patients may have their children visit, if the children are 12 years and older. There is a maximum of 3 visitors at one time who may also come and go.

Pediatrics and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit will allow one overnight parent or legal guardian at a time, with additional visitors from noon to 8 p.m. There may be only two visitors in the room at a time. After 8 p.m., only one parent/legal guardian may be present. All visitors to Pediatric units must be age 12 or older, and may visit only if accompanied by a parent/adult who I s18 years of age or older. This person assumes responsibility for them at all times.

In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, two banded visitors and 4 other designated visitors are allowed, and they must have their names identified at the secretary desk. They can visit at any time, but only 2 visitors are allowed at the bedside at any one time. These visitors may come and go. There is no space to allow for overnight stays. Siblings can visit on Saturday and Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; but must be older than 12 years old and without any signs of illness.

Oncology and Oncology clinics will allow up to two visitors at a time, with the exception of the chemotherapy area, where space constraints and immunocompromised patients do not allow for visitation.

Outpatient clinics and Fayetteville Ambulatory Surgical Center will allow no more than two visitors per patient.

Cape Fear Valley Behavioral Health Care will allow patients one visitor Mondays through Fridays, from 7-9 p.m. On the weekends, they may have two visitors, one per time slot at 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Once visitors leave the facility, they will not be permitted to return that same day.

Long-Term Acute Care (LTAC) patients at Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital are allowed two visitors at a time from noon to 8 p.m., but due to the high vulnerability of that hospital’s patient population, all visitors must be able to show proof of vaccination.

Non-COVID End of Life patients who are actively passing are allowed up to four visitors with two visitors at a time. COVID patients at End of Life are allowed a one (1) time visit for 4 immediate family members only with a maximum time of four (4) hours. In certain family circumstances, compassionate exceptions for End of Life patients may be considered at the discretion of the Nursing Supervisor.

COVID-19 patients will be allowed two visitors per day from 4-8 p.m., and all visitors must wear the required PPE, including an N95 mask. Visitors to COVID-19 patients will not be allowed to return the same day after they leave.