Visitor Guidelines

To protect our patients, team members and community from respiratory and other infectious illnesses, Ridgeview has implemented the following visitor guidelines:

Guidelines for all Visitors/Support Persons:

• Recommended visiting hours are 9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. for Arlington, Le Sueur and Waconia inpatient settings, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. for Chaska inpatient, and normal business hours for outpatient settings. Although, visits will be accommodated outside of these hours. If main entrance is closed, enter through Emergency Department entrance.
• All visitors to Ridgeview hospitals and clinics should self-screen for fever and signs of illness prior to each visit.
• Visitors must be healthy. If a visitor has signs or symptoms of infection, has tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days, or has had close contact with a COVID positive individual in the last 10 days, non-urgent in-person visitation should be postponed until at least 10 days have passed and symptoms are improving.
• Ridgeview will continue to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance and post the most current infection prevention practices at main entrances.
• If masks are required, health care grade masks should be worn by people ages 2 years and older. Masking exceptions are made for those under 2 years of age and those with health conditions who cannot wear masks.
  • Visitors who choose not to wear a mask will be asked to leave.
• Visitors may be asked to wear a mask or put on additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for their protection or the protection of others.
• Visitors should remain in the patient’s room or designated area during their visit.
• Unless they are the parent of a child who is a patient, individuals under the age of 18, must always be accompanied by an adult when visiting.
• If a patient has many visitors, we may ask some to wait in a common area and take turns visiting the patient.
• All patients may receive religious service visits at a reasonable time that does not disrupt care. Spiritual leaders are allowed in addition to the designated visitor allowance.
• If in-person visitation is not possible, Ridgeview encourages alternative visitor interactions (phone, video visits).
• Compassionate care visitation guidelines apply to all patient types.

Adult Inpatient Units, Observation Rooms and Swing-Bed Units:

• Open to visitors.
• One healthy adult visitor may stay overnight.
• See above for general guidelines that apply in all care settings.

Emergency Department (ED)/Urgent Care (UC), Surgical and Procedural Areas:

• ED/UC:
  • Two healthy visitors per patient, per visit
• Outpatient surgical and procedural areas:
  • Two healthy visitors, 18 years of age and older, per patient

Outpatient/Clinics:

• Two healthy visitors per patient

Obstetrics, Pediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU):

• The Birthing Center, Pediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) do not have restricted visiting hours.
• Birthing Center:
  • Healthy visitors are permitted in triage, labor and delivery, and postpartum settings; however, staff may limit visitors in small spaces for safety and privacy reasons.
  • Trained doulas are permitted to provide support before, during and after labor and delivery and are not considered visitors.
• Pediatric inpatients (less than 18 years of age) and NICU:
  • Parents, legal guardians, and/or primary caretakers of the patient are not considered visitors.
  • Four (4) people may visit at the bedside per day, including parents/legal guardians.
  • Children ages 5-17 must be from the same household as the patient in order to visit.
  • Children ages 2-4 will be allowed a one-time visit to meet their sibling(s).
  • Children under 2 years old may not visit.

Compassionate Care:

• Patients are not required to be on comfort or hospice care to meet compassionate care exception.
• Exceptions to our visitor policies may be made for patients who:
  • Are actively dying
  • Have a sudden decline in medical condition and/or
  • Are having unexpected surgery
• No limit to the number of visitors each day.