Va central california health care | veterans affairs

Find VA policies on privacy and patient rights, family rights, visitation, and more. Please review these guidelines before you visit a patient at our hospital. FRESNO VA MEDICAL CENTER 2615

East Clinton Avenue Fresno, CA 93703-2223 VISITING HOURS: Call the medical center for specific ward visiting hours and information. FRESNO VA MEDICAL CENTER: 559-225-6100 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. PROHIBITED ITEMS You're not allowed to bring weapons, cameras, or other

prohibited items into the medical center, except when you're conducting official business authorized by the Director or their designee. If you have questions about what qualifies as

official business, please contact the facility's Director.　Because the VA Fresno Medical Center is federal property, all persons and bags are subject to search 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 SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS Relatives and friends may visit patients who are seriously ill or in hospice care at any time of day, unless the staff

doctor says no. 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. 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.

VISITING PSYCHIATRIC UNITS WITH CHILDREN Children under the age of 16 may visit patients in psychiatric units with the doctor’s permission. 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.  SECURITY  Our Fresno Medical Center has a Police

Service. Our officers provide 24-hour patrols of the facility and parking lots. Report to the VA police any suspicious or criminal activity, vehicle accidents, and personal property losses

on the facility grounds. For police assistance, call 888-826-2838, ext. 6982. In case of an emergency, dial 911.  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.