Important Information About Visitation Guidelines
at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center
Important Information About Your Upcoming Surgery or Procedure
In response to the current COVID-19 surge, effective July 21, 2022, unvaccinated
patients scheduled for any surgery or outpatient procedure (cardiac catheterization,
endoscopy, bronchoscopy, and radiology procedure, etc.) will be required
to have COVID-19 PCR testing within 72 hours of the procedure. Please
speak to your physician’s office prior to the procedure.
Please see the updated guidelines below
The safety and well-being of our patients, visitors and staff is our number one priority. Please be aware of the following guidelines before visiting one of our hospitals or healthcare facilities.
Effective August 22, 2022
We are very excited to welcome visitors back. Please be aware of the new guidelines for visitation. Unless noted, two (2) visitors at a time are permitted for all units between 10:00 am and 8:00 pm.
All visitors must be 18 years of age or older, except for siblings in Pediatrics/Post-partum/NICU/PICU. Guests should not visit if they are sick.
- Labor and Delivery: Two (2) designated visitors which includes one birth partner; in addition to the birth partner, a doula (entire admission) or other designated individual is also permitted.
- Post-partum/Mother-Baby: Two (2) visitors at a time, in addition to the birth partner. Siblings are permitted during visiting hours. Maximum of four people in the room, including two parents.
- NICU/Pediatrics/PICU: Two (2) parents or guardians allowed anytime; siblings are permitted during visiting hours. In NICU, siblings must be 3 years or older. Maximum of four people in the room, including two parents.
- Surgery/Procedures: Two (2) visitors are allowed until the patient is taken to the pre-op area. Two visitors are allowed when patient is in recovery and preparing for discharge.
- COVID-19 Positive Inpatients: The visitors must stop at the nurse’s station for instruction about Personal Protective Equipment prior to entering the patient's room.
We will accommodate all visitation in compliance with Department of Health and Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.
Extenuating circumstances to the temporary guidelines and individual requests will always be considered based on the best interest and needs of the individual patient.
Safety Measures
All approved visitors will be screened at the entrance prior to being given a visitor pass. If a visitor presents with cold or flu-like systems, that individual will not be allowed to visit or stay in the building. All visitors will be asked if they have been advised to self-quarantine because of exposure to someone with COVID-19. If any visitor has been advised to self-quarantine, they will not be allowed to visit. All visitors will be asked if they have been advised to isolate due to COVID-positive status in the last 10 days. If any visitor has been advised to isolate, they will not be allowed to visit.
In addition to the above, gatherings of family members, friends and other acquaintances of the patient in family lounges, waiting areas, the lobby, cafeteria or restaurants on campus will not be allowed.
All approved visitors must wear a mask at all times and should wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer before and after visiting.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
All visitors will be required to wear a face mask. They may wear their own face mask/covering upon arrival to and throughout their stay in the facility, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If they do not have their own face mask/covering they will be provided one.
At the time of entrance, all visitors will be provided instruction on how to wear face masks. An instruction sheet is posted throughout our facilities.
If an individual is permitted to visit a COVID-19-positive patient because of extenuating circumstances or if a patient is on isolation precautions, they will be provided with and must wear appropriate PPE as recommended by the CDC. Staff will direct the visitor on the appropriate PPE.
If a visitor refuses to wear a mask or other PPE as indicated, that individual will be asked to leave the facility.
* Face masks with valves will not be permitted as the valves allow unfiltered air to be released. This does not protect others from bacteria spread, per the CDC.
Prior to and During the Visit
All visitors must perform hand hygiene before visiting a patient.
Once in the hospital or facility, visitors shall remain in the patient’s room (or Emergency Department bay) as much as possible throughout the visit, except when directed by hospital or facility staff to leave during aerosol-generating procedure or other procedures in which visitors are usually asked to leave.
If an aerosol-generating procedure needs to be performed on a patient, the visitor must leave the room during the procedure and for one hour after the procedure is complete.
All visitors must comply with all reasonable requirements imposed by the hospital or facility to minimize the potential spread of infection.
Gatherings of family members, friends and other acquaintances of the patient in family lounges, waiting areas, the lobby, cafeterias or restaurants on campus is not permitted.
RWJBH understands that a hospitalization can be a stressful and uncertain time for many. The visitation policy reflects our commitment to addressing the needs of our patients while prioritizing the safety of all those who enter our facilities.
Our staff and physicians are here to support you and your loved ones and will take into consideration any requests that are made beyond the parameters of this policy in the best interest of the patient.
With guidance from the New Jersey Hospital Association, New Jersey Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and regional and local health departments, we are taking all the necessary steps to ensure the health, well-being and safety of our patients, our staff and the communities we serve.
While we are sensitive to the difficulties facing loved ones of hospitalized patients, our healthcare providers must keep patient and staff safety paramount at this unprecedented time. We encourage family members and friends to use alternative ways to interact with their loved ones, including phone calls, FaceTime, Skype and other means.
Visitation, Entrances and Screening
Should you need to visit Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center or Barnabas Health Ambulatory Care Center, we ask that you be aware of our newly revised entrance procedure and visitation guidelines.
In an effort to keep our staff, physicians, patients and visitors safe, we will conduct COVID-19 symptom screening at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center. In order to assure compliance with this process, we will be limiting points of entry into the medical center.
The Patient Discharge/Maternity Admissions Entrance is closed. Please enter through the Cooperman Family Pavilion (accessible from the Visitor’s Parking Lot).
As the safety and well-being of our community, patients, visitors and staff is our number one priority, we wanted to share the following information with you during the COVID-19 pandemic. We thank you in advance for your understanding and patience.