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Visitation

The following represents our standard visitation policies under NORMAL circumstances (non-outbreak, etc.). These restrictions may change at any time to reflect current circumstances and will be reflected on our COVID-19 page.

St. Joseph’s General Hospital Elliot Lake

St. Joseph’s General Hospital Elliot Lake (SJGHEL) is committed to providing a positive patient experience. We believe in and encourage a partnership between patients, families, and their Healthcare Providers. Our Hospital recognizes and acknowledges the importance of family members and loved ones being able to accompany and support their loved ones when they access care and services, as well as the inherent value of visitation with family members and loved ones when an individual becomes an inpatient. SJGHEL also acknowledges that in some cases, a patient may have special care needs that require collaboration and involvement of their family members and loved ones, as part of an extension of our Clinical Team.

SJGHEL reserves the right to modify and revise processes regarding General Visiting Hours, Support Persons, as well as access to inpatients and inpatient units in the event of emergencies, pandemics, outbreaks and any other unforeseen or warranted circumstances.

NOTE: Exceptions and unique situations should be immediately brought to the Nurse Manager or designate or the Chief Nursing Executive (CNE) or designate for discussion and decision-making.

Visiting Hours

Family members, loved ones(s) and caregivers of palliative, end of life and hospice patients are permitted unrestricted access and may visit these inpatients up to two (2) individuals at a time, at any time. In instances where larger “gatherings” of family members and loved ones are being requested for these types of inpatients, the Charge Nurse, Nurse Manager and the Nursing Staff on a unit will work with families to ensure exceptions and unique situations are promptly and appropriately addressed.

General Visiting Hours occur daily, 7 days a week at the Hospital from:

  • 1100 to 1300 hrs,
  • 1700 to 1900 hrs.

Only two (2) visitors are permitted at any one time during General Visiting Hours, and this includes Essential Care Partners (ECPs).

Visitors may access inpatients during General Visiting Hours on Med/Surg and OBS (3rd Floor), ICU (2nd Floor) or CCU (1st Floor), as well as inpatients who are currently in the Emergency Department.

Visitors must abide by Hospital policies, such as the Scent OHS-s-10 policy, Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) policies, as well as use supplied masks and perform of proper hand hygiene using the alcohol-based hand rub stations located throughout the facility.

Visitors are encouraged to check in at unit Nursing Stations to receive important information and guidance from Nursing Staff regarding IPAC precautions and/or how to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when visiting those inpatients that are on contact precautions, etc.

No child under fourteen (14) years of age may visit an inpatient unless they are visiting their immediate family and are closely supervised by an adult. The number of visitors per patient must still be followed – i.e., the child is one of the two (2) permitted visitors.

Accompanying a Patient to Our Hospital and Providing Support to an Inpatient

Support Persons

A Support Person is an individual who is deemed essential for a patient receiving care, such as when required for consent, children under the age of 18 years or for quality of care or safety reasons (i.e., patient has visual/hearing/cognitive impairment, mobility issues or language barrier). Support Persons must abide by Hospital IPAC policies, including use of supplied masks and perform proper hand hygiene using the alcohol-based hand rub stations located throughout the facility.

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

  • Any patient who attends SJGHEL to access care and services in the Emergency Department (ED) shall be accompanied by one (1) Support Person.
  • Support Persons can be a family member, loved one, caregiver or may also be someone who has been granted Permanent ECP Status.

OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND OUTPATIENT CLINICS

  • Patients may be accompanied by one (1) Support Person when visiting the following departments:
    • Ambulatory Care Centre (ACC),
    • Chemotherapy,
    • Surgical Clinic,
    • Specialist Clinic,
    • Diagnostic Imaging,
    • Laboratory,
    • Diabetes Education Program,
    • Clinical Nutrition.
  • Patients accessing care and services shall be permitted to be accompanied by a Support Person, in the following instances:
    • Children under the age of 18 years.
    • For the purposes of consent.
    • For quality of care or safety reasons – i.e., a patient has visual/hearing/cognitive impairment, mobility issues or language barrier.
    • During labour and delivery (OBS unit). In addition to a family member or loved one, an OBS patient may also be accompanied by their Doula.
  • If an individual has been granted Permanent ECP Status for a patient, this individual must be permitted to accompany the patient.

Essential Care Partner Program

What is an Essential Care Partner?

Essential Care Partners (ECP)s are not social visitors. These individuals are deemed clinically necessary to the safety, quality of care, health outcomes and well-being of a patient.

  • ECPs provide physical, psychological, and emotional support to a patient and are actively involved in decision-making, care coordination and continuity of care for a patient.
  • ECPs can include family members, close friends or other caregivers and are identified/chosen by the patient or by the patient’s Substitute Decision Maker (SDM).
  • ECP access to an inpatient is unrestricted, regardless of COVID-related restrictions, or any other Hospital restrictions/visiting hours, etc.
  • Someone with Permanent ECP Status can accompany an outpatient to any department in the Hospital and their access is unrestricted, regardless of COVID-related restrictions, or any other Hospital restrictions, etc.
  • An ECP is identified by the double-sided Essential Care Partner Badge.

The ECP Program at SJGHEL provides benefits for both our patients and our Hospital, including:

  • Enriched and improved patient care and safety.
  • More equitable and culturally safe care.
  • More successful patient transitions.
  • Reduced front-line employee stress and workload for our Clinical Team.
  • Better two-way dialogue between family members/loved ones and the Clinical Team.

For more information on our SJGHEL’s ECP Program and to find out if you are eligible to become an ECP for a family member/loved one, call (705) 848-7182 ext. 2412.

Click here for information and support for Caregivers from the Ontario Caregiver Organization.

Click here for a copy of SJGHEL’s Essential Care Partner Guide offered in both English and French.

St. Joseph's Manor

St. Joseph’s Manor

St. Joseph’s Manor welcomes and encourages visits from the family and friends of our residents. Community visitors are welcome at any time, and we have both private and ‘quiet’ spaces to make such visits more enjoyable. Other areas where residents and their visitors may wish to enjoy time include: the first-floor courtyard, the first-floor chapel, the second-floor covered patio, and the front patio and gazebo (located outside the main entrance).

Under normal circumstances, there are no set visiting hours at St. Joseph’s Manor and we encourage families and friends to visit at times that are suitable to the resident. If the home is placed in a disease outbreak status, visitors will be limited to Essential Care Partners, for the duration of the outbreak.

We offer a secured entry to protect the vulnerable residents that call St. Joseph’s Manor home. Visitors are required to use our intercom system to alert staff of their presence. Once alerted, a staff member will screen you and other visitors prior to entry.