Important Information About Visitation Guidelines

The safety and well-being of our patients, visitors and staff is our number one priority. Please be aware of the following newly revised guidelines before visiting one of our hospitals or healthcare facilities:

Visiting Hours and Duration:

• All visitors must be 18 years of age or older, except in rare exceptions as determined by the facility.
• Adult Inpatient Acute Care Units: one person per patient at a time is permitted between the hours of 12 noon and 8 p.m.
• Pediatric Units: two parents or guardians are permitted at any time where the patient is a minor.
• Neonatal Intensive Care Units: two parents/support persons are permitted at any time.
• Maternity and Labor & Delivery Units: one significant other/support person is permitted. Once in the labor and delivery unit, the designated support person must have extremely limited access to the other areas of the hospital and will not be permitted to leave and reenter the unit. In addition to a significant other/support person, a doula is also permitted throughout labor, delivery, and the entire postpartum hospital stay. The doula shall not count as the support person.
• Emergency Department: one visitor per patient is permitted at any time for adult patients. Two parents or guardians are permitted at any time where the patient is a minor.
• Behavioral Health Adult Units: no visitors permitted until further notice.
• Pediatric Psychiatric Patients: only one parent/guardian is permitted if/when a mutual agreement between the care team and the parents/guardian has been reached.
• Visitors may not be present during procedures or in the recovery room, except for pediatrics, childbirth, and patients with an intellectual, developmental or other cognitive disability.
• Same day surgery or procedure patients, except for pediatrics, and patients with an intellectual, developmental, or other cognitive disability, may have one support person prior to and after the procedure. The support person may remain with the patient through the initial intake process and may rejoin the patient for the discharge process.
• Outpatients may be accompanied by one adult. Visitors may wait for the patient in the hospital or facility’s designated waiting area (subject to physical space availability), while the patient is having his/her procedure.
• Pediatric Rehabilitation Inpatient Units: one parent/guardian/caregiver is permitted at all times; a second parent/guardian/caregiver may be permitted for coordinated training purposes when approved by the care team
• Pediatric and Adult Long Term Care Units/Transitional Care Units: Visitation may vary based on New Jersey Department of Health guidelines. Please contact the individual units for further information.
  • Children’s Specialized Mountainside 908-301-5450
  • Children’s Specialized Toms River 732-797-3800
  • Clara Maass Medical Center Transitional Care Unit 973-450-2220
  • Community Medical Center Transitional Care Unit 732-557-2270

COVID-19 Patient Visitation: Visitation for patients with confirmed COVID-19 will still be restricted to extenuating circumstances only such as hospice or end of life. For patients who are Persons Under Investigation (PUI) that have symptoms, visitation will be on hold for 24 hours or until COVID-19 test results are available.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

All visitors will be required to wear a facemask. They may wear their own facemask/covering upon arrival to and throughout their stay in the facility, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If they do not have their own facemask/covering they will be provided one.

• At the time of entrance, all visitors will be provided instruction on how to wear face masks. An instruction sheet is posted throughout our facilities.
• If an individual is permitted to visit a COVID-19 positive patient because of extenuating circumstances or if a patient is on isolation precautions, they will be provided with and must wear appropriate PPE as recommended by the CDC. Staff will direct the visitor on the appropriate PPE.
• If a visitor refuses to wear a mask or other PPE as indicated, that individual will be asked to leave the facility.

* Facemasks with valves will not be permitted as the valves allow unfiltered air to be released. This does not protect others from bacteria spread, per the CDC.

Temperature, Symptom and Travel Screening

• All visitors must undergo symptom and temperature checks upon entering any of our facilities. If they present with fever or symptoms, they will not be allowed entry into the facility as recommended by the CDC.
• All visitors will be screened for recent travel. Anyone who has traveled within the last 14 days from states identified on the NJDOH travel restriction list or who has returned from international travel within the last 14 days will not be allowed to visit.
• All visitors will be asked if they have been advised to self-quarantine because of exposure to someone with COVID-19. If any visitor has been advised to self-quarantine, they will not be allowed to visit.

Prior to and During the Visit

• All visitors must perform hand hygiene before visiting a patient.
• Once in the hospital or facility, visitors shall remain in the patient’s room (or Emergency Department bay) as much as possible throughout the visit, except when directed by hospital or facility staff to leave during aerosol-generating procedure or other procedures in which visitors are usually asked to leave.
• If an aerosol-generating procedure needs to be performed on a patient, the visitor must leave the room during the procedure and for one hour after the procedure is complete.
• All visitors must comply with all reasonable requirements imposed by the hospital or facility to minimize the potential spread of infection.
• Gatherings of family members, friends and other acquaintances of the patient in family lounges, waiting areas, the lobby, cafeterias or restaurants on campus is not permitted.

RWJBH understands that a hospitalization can be a stressful and uncertain time for many. The visitation policy reflects our commitment to addressing the needs of our patients while prioritizing the safety of all those who enter our facilities. Our staff and physicians are here to support you and your loved ones and will take into consideration any requests that are made beyond the parameters of this policy in the best interest of the patient. With guidance from the New Jersey Hospital Association, New Jersey Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and regional and local health departments, we are taking all the necessary steps to ensure the health, well-being and safety of our patients, our staff and the communities we serve.