Visiting a Patient

ChristianaCare Visitor Policy as of December 10, 2025

Visiting Patients

  • Patients may have visitors between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. If someone wants to visit at a different time, ask the patient’s care team.
  • Visitors must be 16+ years of age to visit in all intensive Care Units and 12+ years of age for all other acute care inpatient units.
  • Information on visiting patients in the Women’s & Children’s Building can be found here.
  • Children may visit some units in Women’s and Children’s, depending on their age. They must be watched by an adult who is not the patient or care team.
  • There are no restrictions for Ambulatory Surgery or Ambulatory departments.
  • Visitors must follow our Patient and Visitor Code of Conduct to keep a respectful, safe, peaceful environment for everyone.
  • There may be times when visits need to be limited or stopped if there are safety reasons, privacy concerns, the patient’s condition changes, or visitors don’t follow the rules.
  • Weapons are not allowed at ChristianaCare. To keep a safe environment, we are using weapon detection technology. Everyone who enters the building must be screened.

General Visitor Requirements

  • Visitors should only go in the room of the patient they are visiting.
  • All visitors should wash their hands with soap and water (or use hand sanitizer) when entering and leaving a patient’s room and try to limit touching surfaces.
  • Visitors of patients with some contagious illnesses, like COVID-19 or C. diff, may be asked to wear items such as masks, gloves, and gowns (called personal protective equipment), or have limited visits. Speak with the patient’s care team before going in the patient’s room.
  • If you feel sick (with a fever, cough, or diarrhea), it is better not to visit in person. If you must visit, please wear a mask and wash your hands frequently.
  • Masks are available as needed. Ask the care team.
  • All visitors should wear masks for these reasons:
    • When there are high levels of flu, COVID-19, RSV, or other illnesses in the community. Signs at the entrances will let you know when to wear a mask.
    • If the visitor is coughing, sneezing, or has other mild cold-like or allergy symptoms.
  • Visitors who have had COVID-19 within the past 10 days should not visit.
    • This is different from current CDC guidelines, which says people don’t need to stay home once they feel better and don’t have a fever (without using medication for fever).
    • We want to protect our vulnerable patients because people with COVID-19 may still be contagious for up to 10 days. Patients with an underlying condition that weakens their immune systems should defer visitation for at least 20 days.
    • Exception: If you are a healthy parent who had COVID-19 and are up to date on vaccines, you may visit your baby in the NICU after 5 days – as long as you have no symptoms.

Thank you for being a partner in health care. If you have questions, please speak with your nurse or another member of our care team.

Family Birth Center at Union Hospital Visitation Guidelines

The number of visitors permitted at the Family Birth Center at Union Hospital differs per unit. The current details are outlined in the table below.

Name of Unit  Number of Visitors*
Triage 1 permitted at bedside.
Perioperative area Up to 2 permitted at bedside pre-op.

1 permitted at bedside post-op for 1st hour.

Total after 1st hour is 4 permitted at bedside.
Labor and Delivery Up to 4 permitted at bedside.
Antepartum Up to 6 permitted at bedside, including support person and children.
Post partum Up to 6 permitted at bedside, including support person and children.
Pediatrics Parent must be present or give permission for visitors and approval must be documented in the patient’s chart.

Visitors must sign in when visiting pediatric patients.

 

*   Count of visitors at bedside includes designated support person.
Family/friends who are waiting to visit a patient may utilize the family waiting area.

 

Women’s & Children’s Building | Newark Campus

  • Patients in our Women’s & Children’s Building at the Newark campus may have visitors between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
  • Overnight visitation is allowed in Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, High Risk, Antepartum, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatrics, where two designated support persons over age 16 are allowed overnight visitation.
  • Women’s & Children’s allows supervised children under the age of 16 except in Labor & Delivery and the NICU.
  • The number of visitors allowed per patient differs by unit due to the need for access of our caregivers for care delivery, the size of the clinical space and the importance of maintaining patient and family well-being.

The number of visitors permitted per unit currently is outlined in the table below.

Name of Unit  Number of Visitors*
Triage 2 permitted at bedside.
Peri-operative area 1 permitted at bedside in pre-op, 1 post-op for 1st hour.

Total after 1st hour is 2 visitors.

All visitors must be over age 16.
Labor and Delivery 4 permitted at bedside.

All must be over age 16.
High Risk 8 permitted at bedside.
Antepartum 2M 8 permitted at bedside.
Postpartum 6M, 7M 8 permitted at bedside.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)** 2 permitted at bedside.

2 primary visitors with visitor bands and 4 secondary visitors with visitor bands permitted in total.

All visitors must be over age 16.
CP6M Continuing Care Nursery** 8 permitted at bedside. +
Pediatric Care Center CP1M & CPCM 4 permitted at bedside. +

 

* Count of visitors at bedside includes designated support person.
** Secondary visitors are allowed to visit without a primary visitor, but are unable to bring additional visitors to the bedside.
+ Parent must be present or give permission for visitors and approval