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Find VA policies on privacy and patient rights, family rights, visitation, and more. Before visiting a patient at a VA facility, review these guidelines:　 VISITING HOURS: Call the medical

center for specific ward visiting hours and information. G.V. (SONNY) MONTGOMERY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER: 800-949-1009 VISITING CHURCH MEMBERS If you’re a member of the

religious community, we encourage you to visit patients who belong to your church or religious group. However, you’re NOT allowed to do general visitation by going from bed to bed, ward to

ward, or unit to unit.　 BRINGING FOOD You may bring small amounts of candy, fruit, and other food items if the nursing staff says they are appropriate for a patient's diet. You may not

bring fresh fruit and flowers to patients who are receiving critical care, and you can’t eat or drink in those units. WASHING HANDS You must follow hand-hygiene policy guidelines, which

require you to practice good hand hygiene when you enter and exit patient rooms, and at other times as directed by staff. FOLLOWING INFECTION-CONTROL GUIDELINES You must follow guidelines on

infection-control signs and report to the nurses' station for instructions before you enter a patient's room. STAYING HOME IF YOU ARE ILL If you have a communicable disease, you

won't be allowed to visit patients inside the medical center. PROHIBITED ITEMS You're not allowed to bring weapons, cameras, or other prohibited items into the medical center,

except when you're conducting official business authorized by the Director or their designee. If you have questions about what qualifies as official business, please contact the

facility's Director.　 GIVING PRIVACY Our staff may ask you to leave the room when they’re caring for patients. If a staff member asks you to leave a patient's room, you may

continue your visit in the day room, waiting area, or any other public area of the facility. VISITING SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS Relatives and friends may visit patients who are seriously ill or

in hospice care at any time of day, unless the staff doctor says no. VISITING PATIENTS IN RESTRAINTS In general, you won't be allowed to visit patients who are in restraints. If the

treatment team decides that your visit could have a positive effect on the patient, then you may have a supervised visit with the patient when a staff member removes the restraints. Our

staff will document how the patient responds to you and other visitors.　 BRINGING CHILDREN TO VISIT Children of all ages can visit patients at our medical center. For infection-control and

safety reasons, however, children under the age of 16 are not allowed to visit certain specialty-care units. All children under the age of 16 must be directly supervised by an adult.

Children's bedside visits are limited to 15 minutes. VISITING PSYCHIATRIC UNITS WITH CHILDREN Children under the age of 16 may visit patients in psychiatric units with the doctor’s

permission. LIMITING YOUR VISIT Our doctors may limit, restrict, or deny visits for the medical well-being of a patient.  We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your

understanding.  PROHIBITED ITEMS You can't bring weapons, alcohol, or illegal drugs into the building.  Because the VA medical center is federal property, all visitors and bags may be

searched.   VA GENERAL VISITATION POLICY The medical center respects the patient's right to make decisions about his or her care, treatment and services, and to involve the

patient's family in care, treatment, and services decisions to the extent permitted by the patient or surrogate decision-maker.  "Family" is defined as a group of two or more

persons united by blood, or adoptive, marital, domestic partnership, or other legal ties. The family may also be a person or persons not legally related to the individual (such as

significant other, friend or caregiver) whom the individual considers to be family. A family member may be the surrogate decision-maker, as defined in VHA Handbook 1004.02, if authorized to

make care decisions for the individual, should he or she lose decision-making capacity or choose to delegate decision making to another.  The medical center allows a family member, friend or

other individual to be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of their stay. The medical center allows for the presence of a support individual of the

patient's choice, unless the individual's presence infringes on others’ rights or safety, or is medically or therapeutically contraindicated. The individual may or may not be the

patient's surrogate decision-maker or legally authorized representative.  The hospital prohibits discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or

mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression.