Visiting Hours & Policies
Visiting hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
Visiting hours apply to the Main Hospital. Please check below for specific visiting hours for the Women & Infants Pavilion.
Updated: April 4, 2023 — Please check back often as information may change. The hospital’s visitor policy has been updated in accordance with the California Department of Public Health. Please review these guidelines prior to your visit.
Visitation Safety Measures
The safety of our patients and staff are AVMC’s top priority. Although the pandemic is over, COVID cases are still being seen. To help minimize the spread of COVID-19, enhanced safety measures will remain in place.
- Although masks are no longer required, masking remains strongly recommended.
- If visiting an isolation patient, additional personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required and provided by the hospital. Please see the patient's nurse for further guidance. If preferred, AVMC will facilitate a ZOOM call for ICU and PCU remote visits.
- Proof of vaccination status or negative COVID test are no longer required. However, CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
- Visitors showing any respiratory symptoms (i.e. cough, fever, runny nose, and/or sore throat) should wear a mask and in some cases may be restricted from visiting.
- Visitors need to go directly to the patient room and must wear a current room-specific ID badge issued by Security, visible on their upper chest, at all times, please do not wander the hallways.
- Isolation patient rooms & ICU patient rooms: Drinks, food, flowers, personal blankets and stuffed animals are not permitted at this time.
Failure to comply with the above guidelines will result in dismissal from the facility.
Visiting Policies
All visitors must check‑in at the security desk before visiting a patient. Visitors may be asked to show identification to obtain a visitor pass. All visitors must display their visitor pass at chest level at all times.
- Visitors that are under the age of 16, must have prior approval by the unit's charge nurse. In the Women and Infants Pavilion, visitors under the age of 16 are limited to siblings of the baby.
- When flu restrictions are in effect, no one under the age of 16 years old may visit.
- Visitors must wear shirt, pants and shoes at all times.
- Visitors are prohibited from smoking, vaping, marijuana use or chewing tobacco on hospital property.
- Visitors are prohibited from bringing any contraband items, such as alcohol, drugs, or weapons into the hospital.
- Visitors may not sit or lie down on patient beds, use patient bathrooms, or other in‑room facilities due to infection‑control concerns.
- Videography, photography, filming and audio recording of any kind are strictly prohibited unless prior authorization has been granted.
- Service animals are allowed to visit patient rooms as long as the animal is not harmful to patients or won’t interfere with treatment.
- The number of visitors a patient can have may be restricted based on patient needs.
- Visitors may be asked to leave the room when patients receive care or treatment.
Visitors are asked to behave in a way that promotes a healing environment and to abstain from any disruptive or disorderly conduct. If, at any time, the hospital staff feels that a visitor is creating a problem, is not following infection‑control practices, and/or presents a threat to the care and safety of others in the hospital, that visitor will be asked to leave the hospital grounds.
Specific unit guidelines:
- Critical Care and the Emergency Department are open to visitors 24-hours a day, except during shift change. Visitors are limited to 3 persons per patient.
- Behavioral Health Unit visiting hours are from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with two visitors per patient. No bags or purses will be permitted in this unit.
- Visitors for the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) must be 18 years of age or older. Visitors are limited to 1 person per patient within the first hour.
- Surgery/Procedure 2 support persons are permitted and must be 18 years or older.
Women & Infants Pavilion Visitor Guidelines
- Mothers who are COVID positive can have visitors. Visitors will be given specific visiting guidelines and PPE (personal protective equipment) by a nurse. The visitor must wear a surgical gown and N95 at all times while in the patient's room.
- All visitors must wear a current room-specific ID badge issued by Security, visible on their upper chest, at all times in the WIP.
- Visitors may not wear scrubs due to infant security.
- Anyone who is sick or has symptoms of a respiratory infection may not visit.
- Siblings must be 2+ years of age / maximum of 2 siblings at a time.
- When flu restrictions are in effect, no one under the age of 16 years old may visit.
Women & Infants Pavilion specific unit guidelines:
Triage: One (1) designated visitor per patient. No changing of visitors allowed after visitor is designated.
Labor & Delivery: Once admitted to labor, three (3) designated visitors per patient allowed. No changing of visitors allowed, once visitors are designated.
Antepartum/Couplet Care: Visiting hours 10am-8pm. A total of four (4) visitors allowed per patient at a time. Siblings may visit when accompanied by an adult. One adult visitor (18 years or older) will be allowed to stay overnight. May change out visitors.
Pediatrics: Visiting hours 10am-8pm. Parents have 24-hour access to their children. Three (3) visitors allowed per patient at a time. One adult visitor will be allowed to stay overnight. Healthy siblings may visit for brief periods of time during regular visiting hours.
NICU: Visiting hours 10am-6:30pm. Two (2) visitors allowed per patient at a time. Parents have 24-hour access to their baby. Four (4) other support persons may be named and visit during NICU visiting hours. Healthy siblings allowed to visit, during regular visiting hours if accompanied by adult. If support persons are grandparents, they may visit by themselves with parents’ permission. All other visitors / support persons must be with mom or dad.
AVMC appreciates the public’s understanding, as we balance our patients’ needs for emotional support, and the need to stop the spread of infection. Please call the hospital at (661) 949-5000 to inquire about a patient.
To view our visitor policy, click here.
**Our visitation policy may be changed or updated at any time**
