Visiting During COVID-19
While your loved one is a patient at West Springs we encourage you to call and visit. Visitors help patients feel supported and cared for by those who are important in their lives and as structured days are part of your loved one’s treatment, we encourage you and others to connect in the evenings and weekend afternoons. Like so many other things these days, COVID-19 safety protocols require all patient visitation is held via phone or an online video connection. We look forward to in-person visitation returning sometime in the future.
Contact by Phone or Online Video
To contact your loved one in the hospital please call the main number, 970.263.4918. If your loved one is unavailable when you call, staff will be able to let you know when your loved one can be reached that day and can help set up an online video visit.
By Mail
Patients are able to send and receive mail. If you would like to send mail to a patient please address to their attention:
c/o West Springs Hospital
515 28 3/4 Road
Grand Junction, CO 81501
Visitation and the ability to send and/or receive mail may change or be limited during hospitalization based on the discretion of a patient’s treatment team. If you have any questions please feel free to call the hospital main number: 970.263.4918. Staff will work to address your questions or concerns to the best of their ability.
Things To Know when In-person Visits Resume:
- All visitors must be aged 12 or older, and only immediate family members are allowed to visit any patient under the age of 18.
- Patients have the right to determine their visitors and all visitors must be on the patient’s approved contact list.
- Visits by the patient’s clergy, attorney or physician will not be restricted or denied at any time.
- All visitors must read and sign a confidentiality statement indicating understanding of patient confidentiality rights.
- Visitors are required to leave all valuables in their car. Purses, backpacks, cell phones, pens, pencils, illegal items and outside food & drink are not allowed in the hospital.
- Items such as keys will be inventoried by staff, kept locked during visit and returned to visitor upon departure.
- Visitors who smell of alcohol and/or drugs, or exhibit any symptoms of alcohol or drug intoxication, will be asked to leave the premises immediately.
- Visitors who have a communicable disease, such as COVID-19, mumps, measles, influenza, chicken pox, lice, etc. or who have experienced a fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, skin rash, vomiting or diarrhea in the last 48 hours, should not visit patients until they are symptom-free and not a risk for transmitting disease.
Visiting Etiquette from Anita Link’s ‘Thought Food’ blog:
First: If you have negative feelings about visiting that you can’t put aside for the duration of your visit, don’t come. We don’t have the energy to carry your baggage.
Always ask if we are feeling up to a visit beforehand. Don’t be offended if we say no. We may just not be well enough yet.
When you walk through the hospital, offer eye contact and a smile to everyone you pass. You could be making a huge difference to the day of someone who feels invisible to the world, even if they don’t smile back,
Offer a hug if we usually hug or if it feels appropriate.
Ask ‘How are you?’ but be aware it is not a casual greeting. Be willing to accept the unvarnished truth or very little information, because we may not have the energy to talk.
Accept that you can’t fix the reason we are in hospital. Don’t give advice unless we ask for it. If we don’t, assume we are working closely with our health care team and have considered all our options.
You don’t need to bring anything, but if you do – distracting activities such as movies, colouring, craft, music, or anything you know we would normally enjoy are good.
Gauge the length of your visit by how well you know us and how sick we are.
This account and the suggestions I’ve made for visitors are based on my experiences and the specifics won’t apply to all hospitals or situations. But ultimately, it’s simple. Think of the person you are visiting. Decide whether you can leave unhelpful baggage at home. If not, then stay home. If you choose to visit – just be kind and respectful. That’s it.