Va st louis health care | veterans affairs

Find VA policies on privacy and patient rights, family rights, visitation, and more. Before visiting a patient at a VA facility, review these guidelines:　 VISITING HOURS: Call the medical

center for specific ward visiting hours and information. JOHN COCHRAN VETERANS HOSPITAL: 314-652-4100 ST. LOUIS VA MEDICAL CENTER-JEFFERSON BARRACKS: 314-652-4100 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.　 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 under the age of 10 are generally not permitted, but

special arrangements can be made through your physician. 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.  PROHIBITED ITEMS You can't bring weapons, alcohol, or illegal drugs into the building.  Because the VA medical center is federal property, all visitors and bags may be

searched.   SECURITY  VA St. Louis has a Police Service. Our officers provide 24-hour patrols of the facility and parking lots. For general police assistance, please dial 314-289-6325. In

case of an emergency, dial 911. Report all suspicious or criminal activity, vehicle accidents, and personal property losses to the VA Police while on the facility grounds as soon as

possible. 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.