Forsyth Medical Center 
Adult Years
Parent and Visitor Guidelines
| For the security and well-being of your baby, we have established guidelines for parents and visitors coming to the NICU. |
Mother and father will be given a bracelet to wear indicating the baby's identification number. This bracelet will allow the mother and father to be with their baby 24 hours a day. The mother and father are encouraged to wear the bracelets during the infant's entire hospitalization period. If the bracelet has been removed, a picture ID will be required prior to entering the NICU.
Shift Change
Other people may visit when accompanied by mother or father, except during shift changes.
Shift change is a very important time for your baby's nurses to give and receive important information about your infant. Please ask questions or make requests before or after the shift changes. Below are a lists of the times for shift change.
- 6:45 a.m. to 7:15 a.m.
- 2:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
- 6:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
- 10:45 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.
Sibling Visits in the NICU
We encourage sibling visitation in the NICU. However, very young children may become restless. If your child is 2 to 5 years of age, please consider limiting his or her visit to 30 minutes or less. If the child becomes disruptive at anytime during the visit, you will be asked to take him or her out of the nursery in consideration of the other babies and parents. All children must be under constant supervision by a parent or other responsible adult while visiting the NICU.
Please follow these guidelines for sibling visits:
- Siblings must be 2 years of age or older to visit the nursery.
- No children other than siblings under 12 years of age will be permitted to visit.
- Siblings must be accompanied by another adult in addition to the mother.
- If the sibling has not had chicken pox, visiting time is limited to 15 minutes per week.
- If the sibling has had chicken pox or the vaccine, he or she may visit for 30 minutes each visit.
- Before each visit, siblings under the age of 12 will be screened for contagious illnesses or diseases.
Other Special Instructions for Visiting the NICU
- All visitors/parents must wash their hands with soap and water or use Purell before entering the nursery.
- After hands have been properly washed, ring the intercom in the wash area. You will then be asked for your name and to show your identification bracelet. The identification number will be checked at the nurses' station or at the baby's bedside.
- Please check with your baby's nurse before touching or holding your infant. Only 3 people may be at your baby's bedside at anytime. Visitors waiting to see the baby will need to wait outside the nursery entrance.
- Our infection control and confidentiality policies require that you remain at your baby's bedside when visiting the NICU. Please remember, infants, like adult patients, have a right to privacy and dignity.
- During periods of high census or flu season, we may modify our policies.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding visiting guidelines, please call (336) 718-3160 or toll-free at 1-800-937-1873.
