Community Hospital updates visitor policy

McCOOK, Neb. -- Beginning Monday, June 15, Community Hospital will lift certain visitor restrictions to patients in the hospital, emergency department, outpatient departments and clinics. Visitor restrictions were put into place in March to protect patients, visitors and staff from the spread of COVID-19.

“We understand the importance of visitors to a patient,” said Sharon Conroy, Infection Control Nurses. “We are lifting some of the restrictions but are doing so in a safe and controlled way for the protection of everyone,” she said.

On Monday, Community Hospital’s visiting guidelines will include:

• Inpatient: One adult visitor during daily visiting hours 9AM to 4:30 PM. (Note: The hospital front doors are locked on weekends. Visitors should enter through the Emergency Department doors on Saturdays and Sundays.)

• Outpatient Surgery: One support person may come with the patient to their procedure. The support person will remain in the pre/post op patient room with the glass door closed until the patient returns from their procedure.

• Outpatient Departments: One support person may accompany the patient during the appointment

• Emergency Department: One support person may accompany emergency department patients 24/7.

These existing guidelines continue:

• Post-partum patients are allowed one support person upon admission, to remain through discharge.

• Special circumstances, such as end of life.

• No visitors allowed for confirmed positive COVID-19 patients, those patients awaiting COVID-19 test results or other patients on isolation precautions.

All visitors and support persons must be 19 years or older. They will be screened in the hospital lobby for symptoms and a temperature higher than 100 degrees. Any visitor or support person who shows symptoms or has a temperature will not be allowed to visit or accompany the patient.

All patients, visitors and support persons must bring their own cloth mask or face covering to wear throughout the entire visit.

The cafeteria and gift shop remain closed to the public.

Community Hospital continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely, meeting in Incident Command teams and working with local and state public health officials. “The situation could change at any time requiring us to once again restrict visitors,” Conroy said. “The safety and health of patients, staff and visitors are our prime concern at this time,” she added.

Elective Surgeries

Community Hospital physicians and surgeons are now operating at 100% of their normal case load as elective surgeries have started back up. Supplies, medications, staffing and other resources will continue to be monitored to support both the pandemic and elective needs with the understanding that the decision could change at any time based on the rate of new COVID-19 cases in the area.

Hand Sanitizer Available

Community Hospital has a surplus of donated hand sanitizer available while supplies last. Examples of groups which might be interested could be summer sports teams, daycares or churches. Please call Lori Beeby, Community Hospital Vice President Support Services at 308-344-8325 for more information. You must bring your own container(s) to be filled.

Non-Medical Reusable Masks

Community Hospital continues to accept donations of homemade cloth masks. Call Tricia Wagner at 308-344-8550 or Candy Crosby at 308-344-8340 for questions. Masks can be dropped off at Community Hospital by simply parking in the front parking lot and calling 308-344-2650. Someone will come out and pick them up.