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Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Golisano Children's Hospital / NICU / Visiting the NICU

Visiting the NICU

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Virtual Tour of the Gosnell Family Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Este video también está disponible en español.

Visitation Policy

To promote family-centered care of infants in the NICU, parents/primary care givers are encouraged to spend as much time as possible with their baby. For all other family members the NICU visitation policy was designed to promote family-centered care while also keeping your baby's safety and comfort in mind. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to speak with anyone from your baby's healthcare team. We hope to make your family’s visit as meaningful and supportive as possible.

Parents

Parents are welcome in the NICU 24 hours a day.

Grandparents

Grandparents are welcome to visit 24 hours a day when a parent/guardian is unable to be there. They may not participate in medical rounds.

Sibling Visits

All Visitors

  • Please check in with the secretary daily before entering the NICU. To maintain a quiet environment for healing and growing and to protect privacy, please avoid talking or lingering in the hallways. The NICU family lounge and waiting area are always available to you.
  • To protect your baby from infections, everyone must wash their hands and arms for 3-minutes before entering the NICU.
  • The NICU welcomes 2 visitors for each family (not on the "Family Support" list) each day. Visitors are welcome to visit with a parent/guardian present between the hours of 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.
  • You are welcome to have 4 people per family in the unit at a time. (Visitors must be over the age of 14.)
  • We would like to keep the NICU a quiet and restful place for all babies. Please switch your mobile device to silence or vibrate mode while in the NICU.
  • Food is allowed in the family lounge only. You are welcome to have covered drinks in your baby's room.
  • Sleeping arrangements can be made for one parent/guardian in the patient room. If choosing to sleep in the room, please expect interruptions due to the frequency of assessments and 24 hour care being given to your child. Please speak to your social worker or your nurse regarding all sleeping options available to you.
  • Visitors who have colds, coughs, vomiting, diarrhea, fever or other infections may not visit because this may be harmful to your baby. You should also know that the NICU visitation policy may be amended during seasonal flu epidemics or for concerns within the Rochester community that mat limit family and friend visiting.
  • The NICU team may need to ask family and visitors to leave briefly for some patient care or procedures.
  • Any exceptions to the NICU Visitation Policy will be approved by NICU leadership.

Sibling Visits

Hours

  • 11:00 a.m. - 6:45 p.m.
  • 7:45 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Before a Sibling Visit

In anticipation of a sibling visit to the NICU, please:

  • Obtain a copy of immunization records for each brother and/or sister 3 years old and older (up to school age) who will be visiting.
  • Bring the immunization records to the NICU for our nursing staff to review.
  • Call ahead and pre-arrange with your baby’s nurse:
    • Wegmans Nursery in the Golisano Children's Hospital: (585) 275-7150.
    • Strong Nursery: (585) 275-2267.
  • Complete a “Sibling Visitation Health Screen” questionnaire for each child. Forms are available from the Unit Secretary.
  • Limit sibling's visitation time to a period that is developmentally appropriate for the sibling. 30 minutes maximum.
  • Plan to have adequate adult supervision of all brothers and sisters who may be visiting.

Siblings' Tour

Big brothers and sisters can take an online tour to prepare for a visit with their new sibling!

Take the NICU Sibling Tour!

Note: At all times, medical and nursing staff reserve the right to ask visitors to leave if the need arises.

New York State ended its mask mandate in clinical care facilities on Feb. 13, 2023. Following state and federal guidance, Golisano Children's Hospital has developed a new policy on visitor masking and infection prevention that balances patient and staff safety with convenience.

Masking is encouraged for patients and visitors, and masks will be provided on request. In some areas where patients may be especially vulnerable, such as the Wilmot Cancer Center tower and select outpatient infusion centers and clinical areas, everyone is required to mask in all patient and public areas. Please adhere to signage in those areas and/or staff requests for you to mask.

Visiting Hours

8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

  • Parent/Guardian must be present for visitors to be allowed up to a patient room.
  • If a visitor is approved by the parent/guardian to visit in the absence of a parent, it must be identified ahead of time and on file in eRecord for the Ambassador staff.
  • Pediatric visitors may be allowed to visit, if approved by the parent/guardian and an adult is present.

Pediatric Patients

  • 4 visitors at the bedside at a time.
  • At the discretion of the treatment team or unit leadership, we may request a limitation of 2 people at the bedside
  • Up to 2 parents/guardians may stay overnight depending on the unit. Please check with unit leadership.

Siblings of Patients

  • Siblings are not permitted to visit in the Pediatric Surgical Center
  • General Care – siblings are permitted providing they are supervised
  • ICUs (NICU, PICU, PCCC) – Siblings (baby’s sibling) ages 3 and older are permitted for brief supervised visits, based on the acuity of the patient. There may be further restrictions at the unit level. 
  • No one under the age of 18 will be allowed to spend the night unless they are the patient’s parent
  • NICU Sibling Guidelines
    • Siblings 3 years old and up may visit in the NICU.
    • Discuss the best time for a sibling visit with your baby’s nurse.
    • Siblings must be supervised by an adult at all times.
    • Siblings must be free of any signs of illness (runny nose, fever, cough, etc.).
    • A Sibling Health Screen will be completed by a nurse before for each visit.
    • Sibling visitation hours are: 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., 7 days a week.
    • Siblings may be asked to step out for rounds or change of shift if their behavior interferes with the safe exchange of information. Nursing change of shift is between 6:46-7:45 a.m. and p.m.

NICU Visitation

Only 1 parent/guardian may stay overnight.

Pediatric Emergency Department

2 parents/caregivers at a time with the patient, when volume and safety within the department permit.

Questions

Call (585) 275-7555