Hospital visiting hours | MultiCare Yakima Memorial

For the safety of our patients and staff, MultiCare Yakima Memorial allows visitors to the hospital and campuses for the purpose of their own medical care or to visit a current patient receiving medical care. Weapons and drugs are not allowed on MultiCare Yakima Memorial property. Hospital visitors are required to go through a metal detector and bags will be searched upon entry.

All visitors regardless of MultiCare Yakima Memorial location must:

Remain masked throughout the visit.

Masking exemptions:

Children under 5 are exempt from mask requirement.
Masks are not required while actively engaged in eating or drinking.
Or when communicating with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing.
Or while obtaining a service that requires a brief removal of the mask.
Or when unable to put on a mask due to an emergency.
Masks are not required for people with a medical condition for whom a mask could obstruct breathing.
Or for people with a mental health, cognitive or developmental condition that prevents them from wearing a mask.

Additionally, the below applies to visitor policy:

Patients choose who may and may not visit them during their hospital stay.
Patients may withdraw or deny permission for visitation at any time.
Patients (or their support person) may limit the privileges of visitors, including providing for more limited visiting for some visitors than others.
Clinical reasons may limit the number of visitors at the bedside at one time. Birthing mothers are to invite a support person and two guests who are 14 years or older, to be with them throughout their labor.

Special Considerations for Child Visitors:

Well-children supervised by an adult other than the patient are welcomed. Children are not restricted by age except in the defined areas below. Children should be prepared for the hospital environment and the family member’s illness as appropriate.
Children’s behavior should be monitored and corrected as needed to ensure a safe and restful environment for the patient(s) and a positive and developmentally appropriate experience for children.

Hospital Campus:

All visitors are subject to security screening at any public access point according to the Weapons Policy.
The Nurse Manager, Shift Coordinator, or House Supervisor may limit the number of visitors in the patient’s room at any one time due to patient preference, patient condition, room capacity or other care needs.
All visitors must remain in patient rooms or designated waiting areas during their visit.

Visiting Hours & Unit Restrictions

Care Partners (including parents and guardians of patients) are welcome 24 hours a day according to patient preference unless otherwise restricted.

Medical and Surgical Units (2E/2W/2NW/3E/3W/3NW/5E/5W)

Visiting Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Adults and well-children of all ages are welcome.

Critical Care Unit (CCU)

Visiting Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Adults and well-children of all ages are welcome.
No more than 2 visitors per patient room at any one time according to patient preference, condition, or care needs.

Family Birthplace (4^th Floor)

Visiting Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
During labor and at least one hour after the baby is born, one support person plus 2 adults. (14+ and older).
After the baby is born, one support person and up to 5 visitors (14+ and older), including well siblings under the age of 14 are welcome.
For deliveries outside of visiting hours, up to 6 visitors for 1 hour starting at 1 hour after delivery.
One support person 14 + or older may stay with the patient overnight once postpartum or if antepartum.

Pediatrics (2S)

Visiting Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Adults and siblings of all ages, in good health, are welcome according to unit requirements. Children must be always supervised by an adult.
In the event someone other than the parent(s) need to stay overnight with the child, this person must be 18 years of age or older. Siblings cannot stay overnight.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Visiting Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Adults and siblings of patient(s) that are 14 years of age and older, whom are in good health, are welcome to visit at the bedside, with a max of 2 total visitors at the bedside at a time.
- “Un-banded” visitors must be accompanied by a banded person for security and safety purposes, therefore 1 of the 2 people at the bedside must have a band on. (“Banded” refers to matching bands given to the mother and support person at time of delivery, these bands match bands placed on the baby and will remain on the support people until the infant is discharged.)

Peri-Operative/Surgery (Main OR, SurgiCenter, Ridgeview, Water’s Edge, Cath Lab)

Patients are allowed to have 1 visitor except for pediatric patients who are allowed both parents/guardians.

Psychiatric Unit (1N)

Visiting Hours: 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Additional hours from Noon to 2:00 p.m. on weekends and 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on national holidays.

Only visitors designated in the patient’s treatment plan will be allowed to visit the patient.
Visitors must call and sign up for a 1-hour block time. Only 1 visitor is allowed in the unit at one time.
Visitors must stay in designate area. Patient rooms and group room is not open to visitors.
Visitor belongs are to be placed in lockers near unit entrance.

Emergency Department (ED)

All patients are allowed 2 visitors.

Off-site Locations:

Medical Group Outpatient Clinics and Off-site business locations are allowed up to 3 visitors with exceptions listed below.

Generations

All patients are allowed 2 visitors. Children 12 and under are discouraged unless it is a barrier to patient’s care.

Maternal Fetal Medicine

All patients are allowed 1 visitor. All children are discouraged unless it is a barrier to patient’s care.

Valley Imaging

All patients are allowed 1 visitor in the waiting area with the exception below.
OB ultrasound exams patients are allowed 2 visitors.

North Star Lodge

All visitors must be age 12 or older.
Infusion Care Services: Limited to 1 visitor per patient.
Physician Appointments: Limited to 2 visitors per patient.

Cottage in the Meadow

Visitors for COVID-19 positive patients must enter through alternative entrance on the east of building and call the main line for entry.

Reasons for Limiting Visitation:

Visitation may be limited by the hospital due to the following potential reasons:

Need for rest or privacy.
Need for privacy or rest by another individual in your shared room (if applicable).
Clinical interventions, therapy or procedures where the health care provider believes limited visitation is best.
Substance abuse treatment protocols requiring restricted visitation.
A court order limiting or restraining contact.
Threatening or disruptive behavior directed at you or hospital staff.
Refer to Pet Program and Guidelines for Animals in Healthcare Facility for additional information regarding visitation with Service animals, pets, and animals assisted programs.
Reduce risk of infection:
- Visitors recently exposed to any communicable disease such as COVID-19, chicken pox, herpes, measles, or viral hepatitis are not allowed to visit the medical center until illness or risk is resolved.
- Visitors who have received oral polio vaccine within the past month may not visit transplant recipients or cancer patients on chemotherapy.
- During community outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases, non-immunized children will not be permitted to visit specific areas where high-risk patients are treated.
- Exceptions to these guidelines must be approved by the supervising physician and the epidemiologist or the medical director. Exceptions must not put other patients or staff at risk of contracting an infection.
Extraordinary protections because of a pandemic or infectious disease outbreak.
Only Mylar balloons are allowed to be brought in by visitors due to latex balloon allergy risks.
A patient at high-risk in the CCU with the need to secure the unit, the CCU lockdown policy will be put into effect.

Vendors: Please reference the Vendor Policy. Masking guidelines apply as above.

Visitor policy