Visitor guidelines

Updated 10/28/2024

At Dell Children’s, patients and families are at the core of delivering Relationship-Based Care. Patients receive care across our hospitals, emergency departments, surgical services, and outpatient services areas in partnership with families. These relationships are important to the health, healing, and well-being of Dell Children’s patients. Our seasonal visitation guidance allows us to provide a safe environment, high-quality care, and positive experiences when and where our patients need us. Thank you for allowing Dell Children’s to care for you and your family! 

Visitation Overview

All parents, legal guardians, siblings, and visitors should be healthy (without symptoms of respiratory infection such as runny nose, cough, fever, sore throat) and will be screened upon entry to the facility. Hands must be cleaned with soap and water or hand sanitizer before and after visiting.

After screening, all visitors will be provided a sticker. A white sticker indicates the visitor has no signs or symptoms of respiratory illness. A yellow sticker indicates the visitor did not pass or refused screening and masking is required while on campus. 

Dell Children’s facilities are Drug, Alcohol, and Smoke-Free. Weapons are not permitted on our campuses. No verbally threatening, abusive, or disruptive language is permitted. We have zero tolerance for any acts of violence or threats of violence. 

Parents and or legal guardians are not considered visitors, they are an important part of the care team and are welcome in the hospital at any time. Siblings are welcome at Dell Children’s during visitation hours with some age limitations due to respiratory season and where the patient is receiving care. Visitors include friends, clergy members, and others you may invite to visit the patient. Extended family members and close friends, including patient partners, are considered visitors, not guardians or siblings. 

All minors must be accompanied at all times by an adult, who is not the patient, in all areas of Dell Children’s campuses.

The visitation guidance will remain the same during national holidays unless otherwise communicated. Departments may provide additional visitation guidance for the safety and needs of patients in their care. 

Visitor Hours and Entry

Hospital Visitation Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. 

All visitors should enter through the main entrance when open. The Main Entrance at all hospital campuses is open from 5:30 am - 9:00 pm. Parents and guardians may use the Emergency Department entrance for access when the main entrance is closed. 

Outpatient Services opening and closing times are unique to each area. Please contact the office you will be seeing for more information. 

Guidance for Hospitalized Patients

During visitation hours, four (4) visitors, including parents or legal guardians, are allowed in the room at the same time in 3 South, 3 Central, 3 North, 4 South, 3 East, the Specialized Delivery Unit, and for North Campus acute care patients. In these units, all siblings who pass seasonal visitation screening may visit. All other visitors who are minors who pass seasonal visitation screening may be considered for visitation through the exception process. 

During visitation hours, two (2) visitors, including parents or legal guardians, are allowed in the room at the same time in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (2 East), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU/4 North), Cardiac Care Unit (2 North/2 Central), Intermediate Care Unit (4 East), and for North Campus critical care patients. In these units, only siblings who are 15 years of age and over may visit. 

For all hospitalized patients, other than those in our Mental Health Unit, a maximum of two (2) parents or legal guardians may stay overnight with the patient. 

• To ensure the safety of our patients and the patients’ siblings, no siblings may stay overnight in the hospital. See below for details on exceptions for breastfeeding siblings. 
• Visitors may not stay overnight in the hospital. 
• Parents and legal guardians may designate another adult family member to stay overnight in their place if they choose. 

For ALL patients on isolation precautions: 

• The patient's location in the hospital determines the number of visitors allowed. 
• All visitors, including the parents or legal guardians, should stay in the room and not go to public areas in the hospital (i.e. nutrition rooms, cafeterias) until isolation is stopped. 
• Parents, legal guardians, and visitors may be asked to wear a hospital provided mask and must wash or sanitize their hands upon entering and exiting the patient’s room. 

For patients in our Mental Health Unit, four (4) visitors, including parents or legal guardians, are approved for visitation per patient in the consult rooms. 

For ALL visitors:

• Seasonal Visitation Exception Process:
  • Notify the departmental charge nurse if an exception to visitation is requested. The charge nurse will follow the chain of command for assistance with exception as needed. 
  • Exceptions are granted for a specified period of time. 
  • Patients who are at the end of life or enrolled in hospice services receive an automatic exception. 
  • Trauma and emergency admissions with siblings will be provided a 24 hour exception to arrange care for any other children. 
• For siblings who are breastfeeding, mothers:
  • will receive an automatic exception to stay overnight in 3 South, 3 Central, 3 North, 4 South, 3 East, the Specialized Delivery Unit, and North Campus Acute Care. 
  • may receive an exception, if the patient's condition allows, from the departmental charge nurse for breastfeeding sibling to stay overnight in the Pediatric Intensive Care Units (2 East and North campus), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU/4 North), Intermediate Care Unit (4 East) and Cardiac Care Unit (2 North/2 Central). 

Units with immunocompromised patients may choose to alter these guidelines at the recommendation of their medical directors. 

Guidance for Patients in our Emergency Departments and SDU Triage

• Two (2) visitors, including parents or legal guardians, will be allowed with the patient. Two (2) additional visitors may be in the waiting room. 
• There are no age restrictions for visitation while in the Emergency Department. 
• See above for the exception process for Emergency Department and Trauma admissions with siblings. 

Guidance for Surgery Patients

• Four (4) visitors, including parents or legal guardians, will be allowed with the patient while receiving care in the facility. 
• Siblings who pass seasonal visitation screening will be allowed with the patient while receiving care in the facility. 

Guidance for Patients in our Outpatient Settings

• Two (2) primary support people will be allowed with the patient in infusion service areas. ● A maximum of four (4) people, including parents, legal guardians, siblings who pass seasonal visitation screening , and adult visitors, are allowed in other care delivery areas. 
• Visitation exceptions and limitations can be made at the discretion of the manager. ● Outpatient Services with immunocompromised patients may choose to alter these guidelines at the recommendation of their medical directors.