Visiting a Loved One in Critical Care

When your loved one, relative, or friend is admit­ted to one of our critical care/step down units at Winchester Medical Center for close monitoring and treatment, rest assured their health is our highest priority.

Our specially trained staff provide complete patient care for patients who need close observation and treatment. We also rely on your help and support to enable us to deliver the best possible care. We welcome your questions and concerns. We ask that you follow guidelines and visitor hours established for our patients’ well-being.

Critical Care and Step Down General Visiting Hours - 8:30 a.m. -10 p.m.

Critical Care and Step Down Quiet Hours - 10 p.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Parking

For easy access, please park in parking garage 2 and walk across the glass walkway to the second floor. From there, take the elevator to the third floor for access to all critical care units.

Hurst House

For families living 50 miles or more away from the Medical Center, the Hurst House is available. Located on the Winchester Medical Center campus, Hurst House provides a room with shower for visitors. If you are in need of this service, please let the primary nurse or charge nurse know. You may also call 540-536-4470 to make room arrangements.

Patient Representative

After admission, the nurse will ask for one person to be designated as the primary contact to re­ceive updates on your loved one’s condition from the nursing staff. All phone inquiries about the patient’s condition will be referred to the patient’s designated contact person. The patient contact will help by:

• Being the person who receives all communication from the medical team and relays information to other members of the family.
• Taking phone calls regarding the patient’s condition
• Working with staff to plan individualized visiting guidelines for that patient
• Helping to limit visitors to two immediate family members at any one time

Quiet Time for Rest

An important part of critical care treatment is allowing time for patients to rest without interrup­tion in a quiet environment, which promotes heal­ing. Our visitor guidelines are designed to provide critically ill patients with the best possible setting for recovery and renewal. Special accommodations may be possible upon request.

To carry out treatments, we ask that visitors be limited to two per patient in room at any time.

Bedside shift report occurs between the hours of 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. We ask that you hold phone calls until after this report.

Phone Numbers

Please call from the waiting area phone to enter the critical care areas.

• Critical Care Unit 1 Rooms 3501 to 3512 - 540-536-8837
• Critical Care Unit 2 Rooms 3513 to 3524 - 540-536-8838
• Critical Care Unit 3 Rooms 3525 to 3536 - 540-536-8830
• Critical Care Unit 4 Rooms 3537 to 3548 - 540-536-8846
• Critical Care Step DownRooms 381 to 396 - 540-536-0340

Waiting Areas

Two waiting areas are available for critical care; one for critical care units 1 & 2 (Rooms 3501-3524), and one for critical care units 3 & 4 (Rooms 3525- 3548).

Children under 12 years of age are not allowed to visit unless there are special circumstances. Please discuss your circumstances with the charge nurse on duty. Children may not be without adult super­vision in the waiting areas.

• Use hand sanitizer on the wall near the door of each room when entering and leaving; infection control guidelines are set to help patient recovery – GEL IN and GEL OUT.
• No live flowers or plants in patient rooms, but balloons, cards and photographs are welcome
• Outside food or drinks are not permitted in patient rooms.
• Limit cell phone use and keep conversations in a quiet tone; set phone ringers on low volume or vibrate.
• Each unit has a charge nurse available to provide additional assistance with any needs, concerns or questions.
• The nurse may ask visitors to step out of the room when care needs to be done. This is for patient safety and privacy. Visitors will be notified by either the nurse or a member of the team when they can return to the room.
• If you would like to participate or assist with your loved one’s care, please talk with their nurse about ways you can help
• To ensure confidentiality and privacy for all, visitors will be asked to stay in the patient’s room or in the waiting rooms when visiting, rather than waiting in the hallways.
• Rest and take care of yourself so you’re in the best possible health to help your loved one’s recovery

Food

A vending area for food and soft drinks and water is located next to critical care waiting room B. The cafeteria is located on ground level “G” of the South Tower.