Visiting Hours and Guidelines

COVID-19 Family and Caregiver Visitation Policy

• Important Information for Parents and Caregivers Who May Have Been Exposed to COVID-19

  • Parents/caregivers who are sick with COVID-19 or live with someone who is sick with COVID-19 should follow the CDC’s recommendation and stay home for 14 days from their last exposure. These parents/caregivers may not visit the hospital during this time.
  • As a parent/caregiver, if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19, contact your health care provider immediately.
  • All parents/caregivers with COVID-19 tests pending cannot be in the hospital or any other Children’s National location.
  • If both parents/caregivers are not healthy, please notify your child’s care team immediately.

• Hospital Visiting Hours

  At Children's National Hospital, parents and guardians can be with their child 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All other visitors can see patients from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

• Mask Policy for Visitors

  The health and safety of our patients, families and staff is important. Everyone is required to wear a mask while in any Children’s National facility, except when eating, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. We understand some businesses, schools and others in our region may not require a mask, but to protect our patients, we do require everyone continue to wear a mask when at any Children’s National location. View our mask disclaimer.

  Please help us keep everyone safe by:

  • Wearing a mask when entering any Children’s National building, as mandated by the D.C. Department of Health. This includes all public places, such as the hallway and cafeteria (except when you are eating).
  • Wearing a mask when you are around other individuals, including your child’s care provider. Our staff may remind you to put on a mask when you are around others without one.

  You will be given specific instructions for masking within private patient rooms by the care team, based on the patient’s needs.

  Visit childrensnational.org/coronavirus for the most up-to-date information.

• Inpatient Stays

  Children's National Hospital inpatient visitors for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19:

  • Limited to two (2) designated people. While visiting, visitors should remain in the patient’s room.

  Children's National Hospital inpatient visitors for patients without COVID-19:

  • At the time of admission parents or caregiver can designated up to four (4) individuals who may visit the patient during their inpatient stay - only two (2) may be at the bedside at a time.
  • Siblings under 18 years of age may not visit at this time.
  • Any individual experiencing symptoms associated with any infectious illness are not allowed to visit. Remember to bring your mask. All individuals are required to wear a mask when entering any of our facilities and when interacting with staff throughout the day.

• Guidance for Visiting the Emergency Department Regarding Coronavirus

  Children’s National Hospital has implemented strategies to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

  Two parents/guardians can accompany one patient to the Emergency Department.

Electronic Security Screening

• Security Screening and Prohibited Items

  Children’s National Hospital has security screening in place to keep our patients, their families and our employees safe.  At our main campus and UMC Emergency Department location, we have electronic security screening in place.
  
  Visitors will walk through the screening system at a regular pace. There is no need to remove items such as phones, wallets and/or keys. Visitors may want to remove eyeglass cases, umbrellas and/or laptops prior to walking through. Security personnel may ask visitors to participate in additional screening after they pass through the system.
  
  The following items are not permitted at any Children’s National Hospital location:

  • Weapons
  • Drugs, including:
    • Marijuana
    • Alcohol
    • The use of tobacco/vaping products

• Is the security system safe?

  The electronic security system manufacturer, Evolv, ensures the safety of the product. An alternative screening process is available for anyone who has safety concerns.

  According to Evolv: Evolv is dedicated to safety, quality, and consistency of our products. The Evolv Express system has been safety tested and meets certifications.

• Is the Evolv system safe for people with an implanted or wearable medical device?

  According to Evolv:  In keeping with FDA guidance on Electronic Alert System (EAS) and walk-through metal detectors, it is recommended that visitors and system operators with implantable or wearable medical devices consult their device manufacturer or physician for information relating to their own specific device. 

• Is the Evolv system safe for pregnant people?

  According to Evolv:  The Evolv uses extremely low frequency radio waves (ELF) – a non-ionizing sensing modality – in compliance with IEEE’s 2019 guidance for safe operation with the general public, which they define as including pregnant people and their unborn children.

Additional Information for Visitors

• Using the Elevators at Children's National

  Children’s National uses an Elevator Destination system. This system enables visitors to enter the floor they are traveling to, and the elevator system will alert them to which elevator cab will be traveling to their destination. This system enhances our visitor’s experience by enabling patients, families and visitors traveling to destinations in our main building to reach their floor in a more efficient and timely manner.

  This dispatching system directs passengers to the elevator that will get them to their destination with the shortest travel time. By grouping people together based on the floor they are traveling to, the number of stops are reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of the building's elevators. There are two touch screens located at the Costco Wholesale Atrium elevator bank, and touch screens are located at every floor in the main building. If you have questions about using the elevator system, please see the Welcome Desk.

• Please Help Us Keep a Safe and Healthy Environment

  • If you are sick, please do not visit, unless you are the parent or guardian and must come to the hospital to get care for your child. This helps us prevent the spread of illness to other patients, families and our employees. If you are sick and must be here to get care for your child, please let the Welcome Desk or a nurse on your child’s unit know.
  • Children’s National is a smoke-free environment. Smoking is not permitted inside the hospital and is not permitted anywhere on the hospital campus. Additionally, smoking is not permitted in any of Children’s specialty care locations or in any of Children’s clinics.
  • Alcohol and drugs are not permitted in the hospital.
  • Please leave electrical equipment, such as hair dryers and radios, at home.
  • You may use cell phones and wireless devices throughout the hospital. Please keep conversations quiet to respect other patients and families.
  • You may not use camera phones or other cameras to take pictures within the hospital; this is to protect the privacy of others.
  • If family or friends want to send gifts, flowers or mylar balloons (no latex balloons) to a patient, they must order from an outside vendor. Items can be sent to the hospital’s address (111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20010) with the patient’s name and room number.
  • Please keep valuables at home. We try to maintain a secure environment, but cannot guarantee the security of valuables left in waiting areas, playrooms or patient rooms.

• Please Help Us Fight Infection

  It’s important to help fight the spread of infection. All visitors should:

  • Clean your hands thoroughly before and after you visit a patient. Also clean your hands before touching or eating food, after you use the bathroom and after you sneeze or cough, especially if you have covered your mouth with your hands. Remember, hand washing is the single best way to prevent the spread of infection. All visitors are welcome to use any sink or waterless gel dispenser to clean hands at any time.
  • If your hands are visibly dirty, it is best to use soap and hot water, and to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. If hands are not visibly dirty, you can either wash with soap and water or use waterless gel. Waterless gel is available for your use throughout the hospital. You can find wall units of gel throughout the units, at the nurse stations and in patient rooms. It is best to rub your hands together with the gel for at least 20 seconds or until the gel is gone.
  • Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Use tissues, throw them away and then clean your hands. If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve or elbow. If you use your hands to cover your sneeze or cough, wash them right away with soap and water or use waterless gel if soap and water are not easily available.

• Tours

  As a precaution to protect our patients, families and staff, Children’s National Hospital has suspended hospital tours and changed the format of pre-surgical tours to video access only. This is part of our efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our community.