Visitor Guidelines

COVID-19 Visitation Policy

Hospital Patient Visitors

  • General visiting hours in the hospital are from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm.
  • Hospital visitors will be screened at the Main Hospital Entrance for symptoms of COVID-19. Outpatient clinic registration staff will perform COVID-19 screening upon patient/visitor arrival.
  • All visitors will be required to following the OMC Universal Masking Policy and wear a medical mask at all times when within OMC facilities, unless they meet one of the outlined accommodations (see below). If they do not have a mask, one will be provided. Vented or valved masks will not be allowed, and will need to be covered or replaced with a medical mask.

Hospital Visiting Hours
8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

OMP Clinic Patient Visitors

OMP Clinic patients will be allowed no more than 2 (two) visitors to accompany them to their appointments. Please see OMP clinic visitor requirements and exceptions below.

Visitor Screening and Masking Requirements at All OMC Facilities

Masks are still required of all individuals – patients, visitors and staff – in Olympic Medical Center and all OMC facilities. Masks continued to be required in all healthcare settings throughout the State of Washington.

Olympic Medical Center is committed to providing a safe environment for our patients, staff, visitors and our community members. We also recognize the positive effect of having family, loved ones, and supporters at the bedside to improve the healing process. With this in mind, we are working with our infection prevention team and our community public health jurisdiction to monitor COVID-19 activity in the community and appropriately mitigate any risks.

  • Masks are required for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, when present at any Olympic Medical Center facility.
  • Patients and visitors to any OMC facility must wear medical masks. Cloth masks are prohibited. If an individual does not have a medical mask, OMC will offer medical masks to those needing a non-cloth mask.
  • Visitors will be screened for symptoms of respiratory illness.
  • Visitors cannot have tested positive or have been in contact with anyone who tested positive (with the exception of the patient they are visiting) for COVID-19 within the last 14 days or have a pending COVID-19 results.

For the safety of our community, all staff, providers, patients and visitors are required to mask when visiting an Olympic Medical Center facility, with the exemptions as noted:

  • Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face covering. This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a face covering could obstruct breathing or persons otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance.
  • While communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing.
  • Children under the age of five.

Visitors who will not wear a face covering outside of these exemptions will be asked to leave the facility.

Hospital Visitor Policy

  • Community-based authorized clinicians directly involved in the care of the patient are in addition to the patient’s approved visitor(s).
  • Interpreters are in addition to the patient’s visitor(s).
  • Clergy members that have completed PPE training and provided required documentation to Patient Experience will be considered in addition to the patient’s approved visitor(s).
  • Visitors will not be allowed in the rooms of patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, except for limited situations such (e.g. comfort care, or Labor & Delivery), at the discretion of unit leadership and infection control. If visitors are approved to visit an active COVID-19 patient, they need to indicate understanding the potential infection risk of visitation and be offered either a regular mask or non-fit tested N95 + eye protection + gown + gloves.

Children Visitation Policy

Children should always be accompanied by an adult other than the patient. Visits by children younger than 8 years of age should be coordinated with the patient’s registered nurse and the patient or patient’s designated representative.

  • Birth Center
    • Visitors under the age of 12 are limited to siblings of the newborn, must be accompanied by an adult other than the laboring mother or the main support person, and remain with an adult throughout the visit.
  • ICU/Telemetry
    • Supervised children over the age of 8 may be allowed, following the registered nurse’s approval, to visit under special circumstances.
    • Visiting children under the age of 8 are discouraged as these patients are highly susceptible to infectious illness, and equipment can create hazard for small children. This is also to protect young children from potential exposure to illnesses within ICU/Telemetry.
  • Medical/Surgical/Pediatric
    • Under special circumstances, the sibling of a pediatric patient may be allowed to stay overnight. Siblings must be supervised by am adult and the overnight stay must be approved by the nursing supervisor.

OMP Clinic Visitor Policy

  • OMP Clinic patient visitors must stay with the patient throughout the visit, unless dismissed by provider for portion of exam.
  • Interpreters are in addition to the patient’s visitor.
  • Children under the age of 16 will not be allowed to visit, except under extraordinary circumstances, as determined by the hospital or clinic supervisor.
  • No visitors will be allowed in rooms of patients who are suspected or confirmed to have an active COVID-19 infection, except in limited situations approved by clinic manager and infection control.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit www.olympicmedical.org/coronavirus and www.clallam.net/coronavirus. For more information on COVID-19 vaccines available to Clallam County residents, please visit www.olympicmedical.org/services/covid-19-services/ and www.olympicmedical.org/covid-19-vaccine-information.

Recognizing the many benefits of engaging families and friends in support of the patient, we fully support virtual methods of visiting.

All Olympic Medical Center services are open to provide care for patients. Heightened precautions will be used for the health and safety of our healthcare workers, patients, and the general public in these settings. We recognize the many benefits of engaging families and friends in support of the patient and healing process. However, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been taking extra measures of protection.

This guidance cannot anticipate every situation.  Patients and families should coordinate directly with the care team for any questions.  Concerns may be escalated up through supervisory staff.

We appreciate your understanding as we continue to provide the safest possible environment for our patients, healthcare workers, and visitors.  OMC reserves the right to use discretion in reviewing circumstances for visitation.  If a situation arises outside of these visiting guidelines, contact the House Supervisor in Nursing Administration for hospital questions or the Clinic Manager for clinic questions.

Related Closures and Cancellations

  • Seasons Café at the hospital is closed to the public.
  • All on-site support groups and classes have been suspended until further notice.

Please review our Visitation Restriction FAQ to learn more about visitation during this public health emergency.

Visiting a Patient

We believe the presence of supportive friends and relatives can help patients heal faster and feel more relaxed and comfortable. We encourage patients to invite loved ones to visit during their stay, however, sometimes a patient’s need for rest or treatment, or the presence of another patient in the room, may require nurses to limit the number of visitors and/or the duration of their stay. The patient’s nurse will let you know if there are any special visitor restrictions. Some of the things the nurse will consider when deciding if visiting should be limited:

  • If the patient is becoming tired
  • If the noise and activity is making it difficult for the patient to get needed rest
  • If the visitor is sick
  • If the visitor is becoming tired and in need of rest themselves
  • If the visitor chooses to not follow our visitor guidelines

Overnight Visitors

It can sometimes be helpful to a patient’s healing process to have a designated adult support person or care partner stay overnight and provide comfort and support. Please talk with the patient’s nurse who can help determine when this might be appropriate. The nurse can also obtain a visitor badge, which is required for all after-hours visitors. Double occupancy rooms are not able to accommodate overnight visitors. Overnight visitors should be prepared to remain in the patient’s room after visitation hours, except when using the closest public restroom.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. We suggest talking with the patient’s nurse about the best time and length for visits. To help us keep track of people in the hospital, we will need to issue ID badges to visitors if they are here outside of regular visiting hours. Some units at OMC require visitors to wear ID badges at all times.

Visiting Etiquette

Please keep the following points in mind during your visit:

  • Be mindful of the patient’s need to rest by keeping noise to a minimum.
  • Refrain from using scented products, such as perfume, cologne, aftershave, or lotions when visiting as these can cause allergic reactions and respiratory distress for some patients, visitors and staff.
  • Children who are visiting must be supervised by an adult at all times.
  • Do not visit if you are feeling sick.
  • Possession or use of alcohol, marijuana, and/or illegal drugs while on the hospital campus is not allowed.
  • Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the hospital campus.
  • We have a zero tolerance policy for abusive or violent behavior toward any of our team members, patients or visitors. Profanity, intimidation, and/or aggressive behavior are not allowed. Anyone displaying these behaviors will be escorted off the premises and may be subject to prosecution.

Protecting Against Infection

Patients who are sick are not able to fight off infections as easily as healthy people. You can help protect your friend or loved one against infection by doing the following:

  • Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wash your hands with soap and water before and after visiting the patient.
  • Use public restrooms rather than the patient’s bathroom.
  • Sit in a chair, not on the patient’s bed.
  • Use your phone rather than the patient’s phone.
  • Do not share the patient’s food or use their utensils, glasses, or cups.
  • If an isolation sign is posted on the doorway, you must report directly to the nurse’s station, where you will be provided with instructions on how to enter the room.

Assisting Patients

Please talk with the patient’s nurse before assisting the patient to walk or move. It is important to ensure the patient has appropriate clothing and footwear and to watch for equipment that may be in the path of travel, to avoid falls. When assisting the patient to walk in the hallway, you will need to stay on the patient’s unit.

Sharing Food, Drinks and Other Substances

Your loved one’s treatment may include limiting or restricting certain foods and liquids. Always check with the nurse before giving anything to the patient including food, liquids, medications or other substances.

Privacy

While we try to keep all patient information confidential, there may be times when you overhear a conversation between a patient and the doctor and/or other health care provider. We ask you to respect the privacy of others, as you would like them to do for your friend or loved one.

Pet and Service Animal Policy

Service animals specifically trained to aid a person with a disability are welcomed. While we understand that pets are often members of a patient’s family, due to health and regulatory concerns pets are not permitted in the facility unless used as a therapeutic measure. Decisions regarding personal pet visits will be made on an individual basis after discussion with the patient’s physician. Please check with the charge nurse before bringing a pet in to visit the patient.

Use of Electronic Equipment

In the hospital, the use of a cell phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), pager or laptop computer is limited. Hallways and waiting rooms are the best places to use these devices, but you must be at least 10 feet away from any medical equipment.

Smoke-Free Location

Olympic Medical Center has joined health care organizations across Washington State and the U.S. by becoming a smoke free campus, which means that no smoking is permitted on OMC properties, including buildings, walkways and parking lots. Smoking cessation assistance is available to help you refrain from smoking while you are in our care. Please ask your nurse or clinical provider for more information.

Seasons Café

Closed until further notice.
First Floor, East Entrance

Seasons Espresso

Weekdays 6:30 am to 3:00 pm
First Floor, East Entrance

Gift Shop

Closed until further notice.
First Floor, off the Main Lobby

ATM

First Floor, East Entrance

Public Restrooms

Public restrooms are located near the East Elevators on all three floors and on the first floor across the hallway from Diagnostic Imaging.