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Visitors Guide

Visitors Guide

Visiting Hours
Directions and Parking
Hospital Policies

Visitors can play an important role in providing comfort to their loved one during a hospital stay. Saint Raphael’s has some services and amenities in place for your comfort, and as a visitor you also have responsibilities to the patient and the other people on their floor.

Some Guidelines:

  • Rest. It’s important to remember someone is in the hospital because they are sick and need rest, care and treatment. Rest and sleep may be essential to their recuperation, so plan the frequency and duration of your visits accordingly.
  • Roommates. If your loved one is sharing a room with another patient, please be mindful of the needs of this person, whether it’s ensuring noise levels are appropriate, respecting their privacy or allowing them to rest.
  • TV System.  There is no additonal charge for in-room TV service.  There are more than 40 channels available including CBS, ABC, NBC, Discovery, the Food Network, at least 8 sports channels, and numerous News networks.  There is a laminated Channel Card attached to the remote with a channel guide.  Free TV service is also available in several lounges/waiting rooms around the hospital.
  • Food. Before bringing in any food items, check with your loved one’s nurse first. Medications or treatments may have altered their dietary needs and restrictions.
  • Flowers. Check with the nursing staff before bringing flowers. Some units can not allow flowers and plants.  If you’d like to send flowers to pateints who can have them, you can call The Glass Door Gift Shop or order online and have them delivered.
  • Balloons. The Hospital of Saint Raphael, like many other organizations, has adopted a “no latex balloons” policy in an effort to reduce patients’ and staff members’ exposure to latex. Latex exposure may sometimes result in symptoms ranging from a rash to serious complications such as respiratory difficulties. You may be able to bring Mylar balloons (those with a “foil” appearance); check first with your loved one’s nursing staff.  If you’d like to send balloons to pateints who can have them, you can call The Glass Door Gift Shop or order online and have them delivered.
  • Mail. Mail can be sent to the patient; it is helpful if the patient room number is included (call patient information for this information) and please put “patient” in the corner of the envelope. If the person has been discharged, it will be forwarded to them. If they will only be in the hospital a few days, you might want to send your card to their home to greet them on their arrival.
  • Spending the night. While in most cases, the Hospital of Saint Raphael discourages visitors from spending the night to better ensure the patient gets as much rest as possible, it may be appropriate in some circumstances. These might include staying with patients who are young children or partners staying with new mothers in the maternity unit. Please discuss your circumstances with the nursing staff.
  • Special visiting hours. Also speak with the nursing staff if you have a unique situation and need to make arrangements to visit your loved one outside of normal visiting hours. We will do our best to accommodate your special situation.

Making your visit more pleasant:

  • ZuZu’s Coffee Bar (Monday – Friday, 6:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) whether you are looking for a cup of coffee or tea, a pastry, snack or something to drink, you will find it at our coffee bar. 

  • Allspice Cafe:  (Monday – Sunday, 6:15 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.) From full meals, salad bar, deli bar and a grill to snacks, coffee, desserts and more, the cafeteria offers a complete range of menu choices in a fast, serve-yourself format.  It is located on the first floor just off the main hospital lobby.

  • Lounges and Waiting Areas.  Family Lounges are available on several floors of the hospital, offering families a place to relax and be close to patient rooms. Family members or friends who accompany you will find lounges in many of our care areas including the SICU, CTICU, and the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU Recovery Room).  Staffed by volunteers, all of the lounges have a TV, reading material and a phone.  Some also offer coffee, water and private rest rooms.

  • Chapel: Our beautiful chapel is located on the first floor and offers both daily services and quiet reflection time. Mass Schedule 

  • The Glass Door Gift Shop (Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.): located in the central lobby, offers gifts, toys, jewelry, sundry items, flowers, magazines and more. Some items can be ordered online and delivered to the patient’s room.

  • Apothecary Pharmacy: (Tuesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Thursday extended hours to 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., closed Sunday.)  A retail pharmacy on the first floor makes it easy to pick up any prescriptions on the way home or to purchase over-the-counter medications. Our new Concierge Program fills patients’ prescriptions and delivers them right to the bedside before discharge. For information on the Concierge Pharmacy Service, call 203-789-4076.

  • ATM: There is an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) next to Zuzu’s Coffee Bar.

  • Hospital Map: You can pick up a hospital map at an Information Desk at the Main Lobby or from the George Street Garage entrance.  You can also download the map.

Hospital Policies: 

  • Smoking: As of November 19, 2009, the Hospital of Saint Raphael is a 100% smoke-free facility. Smoking within the buildings, on the 4 sidewalks adjacent to the main building (Chapel, Orchard, George and Sherman Avenues) and parking lots/garages is prohibited.
  • Cell phones: Patients and visitors may use cell phones except in posted, restricted areas. Those restricted areas include:

    – All intensive care units
    Telemetry units
    Post-anesthesia care unit (recovery room)
    Operating suite
    Radiology
    Labor and Delivery
    GI Lab
    Cardiac Cath Lab
    Emergency department (patient care areas)
    Patient elevators

    In addition, cell phones can not be used within four feet of any patient connected to medical equipment. To promote a quiet environment, please keep cell phones set to “silent” or “vibrate.”

 

Page last updated on Dec. 02, 2010