PatientInfoGuide - Flipbook - Page 12
Fire Safety
To ensure your safety in case of fire, SVMC
periodically conducts fire drills to ensure staff
preparedness and to test our alarm system.
Please do not worry if you hear a fire alarm, but
do make sure to follow any directions given to you
by hospital staff. Bear in mind that these activities
take place for your protection. In the unlikely
event of a fire, please know that hospital staff
will make certain you are protected from harm.
For Your Family, Friends,
and Visitors
Our Visiting Policy
Because we believe it is important for our
patients to spend time with family and friends,
our visiting policy is quite liberal, though it may
change to ensure important infection prevention
measures are met. We do ask that visiting
arrangements be appropriate to your condition,
as determined by your nurse and physician, as
well as befitting your environment and whether
you have a private or shared room.
SVMC Safety Program
SVMC’s Safety Program includes the following
guidelines to keep our staff, patients, children,
families, and visitors safe. If a patient, family
member, or friend seems to be out of control,
drunk, on drugs, or threatening others with
their words or actions, staff must call SVMC
Security and report it. If anyone causes a serious
event or speaks or acts in a way that threatens
or violates others, we may ask that person to
leave the hospital or clinic. SVMC will not
tolerate any form of threatening, abusive, or
aggressive behavior towards our staff. Assaults
against our staff might result in a felony
conviction. All staff have the right to carry out
their work without fearing for their safety.
Children Visitors
You are welcome to have children visit you
during your stay, but they must be accompanied
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by a parent or other responsible adult and may
not be left unattended at any time.
Staying Overnight
Parents of pediatric patients may stay overnight
with their children. In some cases, family
members may also stay overnight with adult
patients as well. These arrangements can be
made through your nurse.
Service Dog and Pet Visitation
Southwestern Vermont Health Care welcomes
service dogs (including psychiatric service animals).
Please ensure the following animals remain in
the comfort of your home and outside of SVHC
facilities:
• Emotional support animals (non-psychiatric
service animals)
• Personal pets
In special circumstances, a personal pet may be
approved to visit with a patient who is in the
hospital. Such visits require coordination with
SVHC staff. You can find more information
about arranging this type of visit by searching
“pet visitation” at svhealthcare.org. Or, talk to
the patient’s care provider to ask about a visit.
If you are visiting the hospital with a dog:
If your dog is a service dog or has been approved
for a special visit to a hospitalized patient, we
kindly ask that you help us in maintaining
a safe and comfortable environment for all
SVHC patients and guests by ensuring the dog:
• Remains leashed at all times.
• Is in good health, and free of fever, stomach
upset and diarrhea, fleas, and skin lesions.
• Has received the appropriate shots and is
registered with your city or town.
• Exhibits a friendly, non-threatening
temperament for the safety and well-being of
all guests. Dogs that display behaviors such as
growling, jumping, lunging, snarling, or nipping
are likely to bring discomfort to other guests
and will be asked to leave the facility. SVHC
staff and volunteers are not responsible for
SOUTHWESTERN VERMONT MEDICAL CENTER