Va bay pines health care | veterans affairs

Find VA policies on privacy and patient rights, family rights, visitation, and more. Visitation at the CWBY main campus, Lee County Healthcare Center, and all VA Clinics is currently open.

This applies to all areas at CWBY except the Community Living Center (CLC) and Hospice, which remain on a phased visitation plan (included below). Screening and masking requirements still

apply to all visitors and social distancing is highly encouraged at all sites. Visitation restrictions may be re-instituted if community positivity rates of COVID-19 begin to rise. Before

visiting a patient at a VA facility, please review these guidelines:　 VISITING HOURS Call the medical center for specific ward visiting hours and information. C.W. Bill Young Department of

Veterans Affairs Medical Center: 727-398-6661 VISITING CHURCH MEMBERS If you’re a member of the religious community, we encourage you to visit patients who belong to your church or religious

group. However, you’re NOT allowed to do general visitation by going from bed to bed, ward to ward, or unit to unit.　 BRINGING FOOD You may bring small amounts of candy, fruit, and other

food items if the nursing staff says they are appropriate for a patient's diet. You may not bring fresh fruit and flowers to patients who are receiving critical care, and you can’t eat

or drink in those units. WASHING HANDS You must follow hand-hygiene policy guidelines, which require you to practice good hand hygiene when you enter and exit patient rooms, and at other

times as directed by staff. FOLLOWING INFECTION-CONTROL GUIDELINES You must follow guidelines on infection-control signs and report to the nurses' station for instructions before you

enter a patient's room. STAYING HOME IF YOU ARE ILL If you have a communicable disease, you won't be allowed to visit patients inside the medical center. GIVING PRIVACY Our staff

may ask you to leave the room when they’re caring for patients. If a staff member asks you to leave a patient's room, you may continue your visit in the day room, waiting area, or any

other public area of the facility. VISITING PATIENTS IN RESTRAINTS In general, you won't be allowed to visit patients who are in restraints. If the treatment team decides that your

visit could have a positive effect on the patient, then you may have a supervised visit with the patient when a staff member removes the restraints. Our staff will document how the patient

responds to you and other visitors.　 BRINGING CHILDREN TO VISIT Children of all ages can visit patients at our medical center. Children under the age of 16 may visit patients in psychiatric

units with the doctor's permission.  For infection-control and safety reasons, however, children under the age of 16 are not allowed to visit certain specialty-care units.  All children

under the age of 16 must be directly supervised by an adult. Children's bedside visits are limited to 15 minutes. LIMITING YOUR VISIT Our doctors may limit, restrict, or deny visits 

for the medical well-being of a patient.  We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.  PROHIBITED ITEMS You cannot bring weapons, alcohol, tobacco products, illegal

drugs or other prohibited items into any VA medical facility or building. Cameras should not be brought into our medical center or clinics, except when you are conducting official business

authorized by the Director or his/her designee. If you have questions about what qualifies as official business, please contact the our Public Affairs Officer.    -------------------------

VISITATION POLICY FOR OUR COMMUNITY LIVING CENTER  Please read on for information about the latest COVID-19 guidance and mandates that we are implementing for visitors at our CLC. Due to the

high community transmission levels of COVID-19, the guidance below is effective immediately. Visitors will be required to: * Take a COVID antigen test (BinaxNOW), which will be administered

by a staff member from the CLC, prior to visiting a resident. * Visitors should enter at building 101 entrance * Visitors will be assessed for COVID-19 symptoms and have their temperature

taken at the door * Visitors will be given a Level 3 mask to wear while in the CLC * Visitors will be taken to the library area and have a COVID antigen test performed by a licensed staff

member * Visitors will wait approximately 20 minutes for the test results * If the result is negative: * Visitors will be asked to exit the CLC and re-enter the CLC at building 71 Pedway

Entrance * Visitors will sign in and obtain a visitor badge * Staff will be contacted to escort the visitor to the place of visitation * Visitors should complete hand hygiene before and

after visit * Visitors will keep their mask on during the entire visit * If the result is positive, the visitor will be asked to leave the CLC and encouraged to seek medical assistance from

their personal provider Adhering to this guidance will aid in decreasing the spread of the virus and will ensure we can continue safeguarding the wellbeing of our Veterans and staff. 

SECURITY  Patient Safety is our number ONE concern.  We have a VA Police Service with uniformed federal officers stationed at the main campus and at our Lee County VA Healthcare Center.  Our

officers provide 24-hour patrols of the facility and parking lots.  At our other clinics we utilize local authorities and emergency services, should the need arise.  If you find you are in

need of Police and/or Security services, please contact a staff member who can put you in touch with the appropriate authorities.  To help keep our campuses safe, please report all

suspicious or criminal activity, vehicle accidents, and personal property losses as soon as possible. Because the VA Healthcare System is federal property, all persons and bags are subject

to search. In addition, no weapons, alcohol, or illegal drugs are permitted. VA GENERAL VISITATION POLICY The medical center respects the patient's right to make decisions about his or

her care, treatment and services, and to involve the patient's family in care, treatment, and services decisions to the extent permitted by the patient or surrogate decision-maker. 

"Family" is defined as a group of two or more persons united by blood, or adoptive, marital, domestic partnership, or other legal ties. The family may also be a person or persons

not legally related to the individual (such as significant other, friend or caregiver) whom the individual considers to be family. A family member may be the surrogate decision-maker, as

defined in VHA Handbook 1004.02, if authorized to make care decisions for the individual, should he or she lose decision-making capacity or choose to delegate decision making to another. 

The medical center allows a family member, friend or other individual to be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of their stay. The medical center allows for the

presence of a support individual of the patient's choice, unless the individual's presence infringes on others’ rights or safety, or is medically or therapeutically

contraindicated. The individual may or may not be the patient's surrogate decision-maker or legally authorized representative.  The hospital prohibits discrimination based on age, race,

ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression.