Visitor Guidelines
Visitation plays an important role in a patient's healing and recovery. We welcome the comforting presence and support of parents, family and friends during a child's hospitalization, and we encourage parents and/or guardians to spend as much time as possible with their hospitalized child.
Please remember that the health and well-being of our patients comes first. We ask that our patients and their loved ones be respectful of other patients, visitors, and staff. For everyone’s safety, we ask that all visitors comply with the following guidelines.
- Visitors who have colds or other infections should stay at home until they are well. Visiting children are not permitted into the Child and Adolescent Life playrooms as an infection control precaution.
- Please respect the needs of others and maintain a calm and quiet atmosphere
- No smoking please
- Alcohol, illegal drugs, weapons, including firearms and knives, are not allowed on hospital grounds
If you wish to stay with a patient overnight, you must obtain a visitor’s badge from the nurse’s station where the patient is located. Overnight visitors must be at least 18 years of age and must renew privileges each night.
If your child is in a critical care unit, please check with the nurse regarding limitations on the number of other visitors or the length of visits as they are determined on an individual basis.
When visiting a patient in the critical care units, please do not bring food, fresh flowers or plants (silk flowers, pictures and cards are acceptable). Please remember that space for personal items is limited in the critical care units.
Mylar (metallic) balloons for patients are welcomed at Duke Children's Hospital. However, latex (rubber) balloons are not allowed anywhere in the hospital because they are a choking hazard for young children and can cause allergic reactions for patients and staff.
Parents are responsible for the supervision of visiting siblings. Visiting children must always be accompanied by an adult. In the interest of patient safety and to allow for optimum care for your child, please limit the number of guests in your child's room. Please let your nurse know if you would prefer that guests not visit your child when you are not present.
We recognize that being hospitalized can be frightening for children. The Duke Children's Hospital Child and Adolescent Life Programs are designed to create an environment to help ease children's fears and provide feelings of security, comfort, acceptance and age-appropriate activities to make the hospital experience as pleasant as possible for both your child and your family.
