For visitors at HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital

For the convenience of our patients and family members, our hospital has open visiting hours. However, to ensure our patients get the rest they need, we recommend visiting between the hours of 6:00am and 8:30pm.

Visitation will be available at the discretion of the patient, physician and nursing staff. Restricted-access areas, such as the intensive care units, require permission from the nursing unit. All visitors will be asked to present a photo ID upon arrival.

Our gift shop offers snacks, candies, flowers and small gifts. For your convenience, you may also order items from our gift shop online.

Visitors to a healthcare facility play an important role in guarding patient safety. Please do not visit the hospital if you are sick or have had any ill symptoms within the last three days, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever (or feeling feverish), uncontrolled cough or rash.

You will find additional guidelines below to help keep our patients, guests and staff healthy.

Hand hygiene policy

The soap and hand sanitizer in patient rooms are for everyone. Please wash or sanitize your hands when entering and leaving the room of the person you are visiting to avoid bringing in and carrying out germs.

Insist that healthcare providers do the same before caring for your loved one. Clean your hands after sneezing, coughing, touching your eyes, nose or mouth, after using the restroom and before and after eating and drinking.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your sleeve, and do not sit on patient beds or handle their equipment. Read and follow any instructions posted outside the patient’s room.

Bringing flowers, food or young visitors

While flowers, young visitors and home-baked goodies spread cheer, they may not be allowed. Please check with the nurse first. Policies vary in each of our units, and patients may be on a special diet.

Additionally, if you change the water in a vase of flowers, be sure to wash your hands afterward.

Helping keep the patient's space tidy

Please help limit the patient’s personal items. Less clutter eases the critical job of cleaning hospital rooms and reduces the risk for falls. Keep patient items off the floor and away from waste containers.

Visiting more than one patient

If you are visiting multiple patients, sanitize your hands before and after seeing each patient.

If you are a pastor visiting multiple patients, we have the following safety precautions for communion:

• Do not share the communion cup.
• Lay the wafer on a paper towel (not directly on the patient’s table).
• Visit the person in isolation last and follow the precautions specified.

If the person you are visiting is on “isolation precautions,” talk to the nurse before entering the room to find out what steps you will have to take, such as wearing a mask or other protective clothing. Also, ask for any educational materials that may be available.

If you are a caregiver or loved one of a patient, you can help the patient stay healthy back home after discharge. To do this, follow discharge instructions and eliminate germs from the patient’s environment by using disinfectants, such as sprays and wipes, to clean hard surfaces often.

Ask for special instructions if the patient had a drug-resistant infection, such as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or clostridium difficile colitis (C. difficile).