Visitation Resumes At RWJ Somerset Hospital: See The Rules

SOMERVILLE, NJ — RWJ Barnabas Health, including RWJ University Hospital Somerset in Somerville, will once again allow visitors to see loved ones following its suspension of visitations due to the coronavirus.

"Due to the steady decline in the number of individuals with COVID-19 in New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health announces that effective immediately, all hospitals in the system will begin permitting visitation within defined safety parameters," said Rebecca Smith, a spokeswoman with RWJ Barnabas Health.

The RWJ Barnabas Health network had suspended visitation on March 16 at all of its hospitals and health care facilities to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Visitation for patients with confirmed COVID-19 will still be restricted to extenuating circumstances only such as hospice or end of life.

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Here are some of RWJ Barnabas Health's updated visitation guidelines:

• All visitors must be 18 years of age or older, except in rare exceptions as determined by the facility.
• Adult Inpatient Acute Care Units: one person per patient at a time is permitted between the hours of 12 and 8 p.m.
• Pediatric Units: two parents or guardians are permitted at any time where the patient is a minor.
• Neonatal Intensive Care Units: two parents/support persons are permitted at any time.
• Maternity and Labor & Delivery units: one significant other/support person is permitted. Once in the labor and delivery unit, the designated support person must have extremely limited access to the other areas of the hospital and will not be permitted to leave and reenter the unit.
• Emergency Department: one visitor per patient is permitted at any time for adult patients. Two parents or guardians are permitted at any time where the patient is a minor.
• Behavioral Health Adult Units: no visitors permitted until further notice.
• Pediatric Psychiatric Patients: only one parent/guardian is permitted if/when a mutual agreement between the care team and the parents/guardian has been reached.
• Visitors may not be present during procedures or in the recovery room, except for pediatrics, childbirth, and patients with an intellectual, developmental or other cognitive disability.
• Same day surgery or procedure patients, except for pediatrics, and patients with an intellectual, developmental, or other cognitive disability, may have one support person prior to and after the procedure. The support person may remain with the patient through the initial intake process and may rejoin the patient for the discharge process.
• Outpatients may be accompanied by one adult. Visitors may wait for the patient in the hospital or facility’s designated waiting area (subject to physical space availability), while the patient is having his/her procedure.
• All visitors must undergo symptom and temperature checks upon entering any of our facilities. If they present with fever or symptoms, they will not be allowed entry into the facility as recommended by the CDC.

All visitors must also perform hand hygiene before visiting a patient and 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.

"RWJBarnabas Health has developed policies and procedures to prioritize and ensure the health and safety of all patients, visitors and staff in preventing the spread of COVID-19," said John F. Bonamo, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical and Quality Officer of RWJBarnabas Health. "One of the most important safeguards established to achieve this goal has been restricting visitation in our facilities. However, we recognize the vital role that family members and loved ones have in the healing and well-being of our patients and with declining numbers in the state we are happy to announce that visitors will be permitted again."

For more information on the RWJBarnabas Health visitation guidelines click here.

• Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know
• See more stories about New Jersey's coronavirus recovery.

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