University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital Visitation Guidelines

All visitors must check in at the Information Desk in the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital lobby. Names of authorized visitors will be maintained at the nursing units. When a visitor arrives, security will verify whether that person is authorized to visit the child.

Types of Visitors

There are three types of visitors at Comer Children's Hospital:

• Parents, legal guardians, or designated caretakers. These people will be given yellow ID bands at the time of admission. The ID band must be displayed at all times. Yellow-banded parents MUST show photo identification and the yellow band to the Comer public safety officer before going to their child’s care unit.
• Record of Parent/Guardian/Designated Caretaker Bands (PDF): This form should be given to unit staff. These forms are also available at the hospital.
• Authorized visitors. Parents must complete a visitor list of those who are welcome to see their child and indicate whether the visitor may visit without the parents’ being present. This list is maintained on the nursing unit and at the public safety desk in the Comer Children's Hospital lobby. A total of four (4) color-coded visitor passes are available from the Comer public safety officer. Visitors MUST present a photo ID (This can be a driver’s license; Illinois or State ID card, employment or school ID with photo.) The public safety officer will retain the ID and issue a visitor pass. The ID will be returned upon return of the visitor pass to the public safety officer.
• Siblings and friends of the patient who are under the age of 18 may visit only if accompanied by an adult. They do not have to surrender a photo ID.

Visiting Hours

People wearing a yellow ID band (parents, legal guardians, and designated caretakers) are welcome to stay with their child 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In most units, they may sleep at the child's bedside. We also have sleeping rooms for parents who are not able to stay in their child's room.

Visiting hours for friends and relatives are 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., daily. The lobby is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Other Considerations

• Up to four people may be on the unit at any one time.
• Up to two people are permitted at the bedside in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
• Children in the PICU and NICU, and those with conditions that increase their risk of infection may not receive live flowers or plants. Please ask the nurse for further details.
• Please plan any visits by children (age 18 and younger) with the nursing staff 24 hours in advance. An adult must accompany any person younger than age 18 who is not an emancipated minor. An adult must supervise all children 12 years old or younger.
• Visitors with colds, coughs, or other contagious illnesses may not visit. We ask that they remain at home until they are well. Likewise, people who have been exposed to contagious diseases may not visit.
• Visiting guidelines may differ by unit. Please check with the nurse for additional information.

The Medical Center reserves the right to limit visitation as it considers appropriate to the interests of children, families, visitors, and staff.