We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us provide the best care for our patients. The following guidelines will help the patient and you during visitation:
The initial visit in the CVICU may be a little intimidating. Being prepared for what you’ll see might help ease some anxiety.
There is a limit of two visitors at one time in the CVICU.
Limit your initial visit to 10-15 minutes to allow the patient to rest.
After the first visit, you are welcome to return for the remainder of the visiting schedule. However, we encourage you to return home or to your lodging and rest after 9 p.m.
Please respect requests to alter your visitation time or leave the room. As mentioned above, these requests are for the sole purpose of keeping the patient's care and safety our top priority.
The family spokesperson should have contact information ready for the CVICU nurse.
Please be respectful of all patients' need for rest, recovery and nursing care.
To prevent infection and ensure patient safety, please wash your hands with soap and warm water, or apply the antibacterial foam located at the patient’s bedside to cleanse your hands before and after visiting the patient.
To protect patients’ safety and privacy, the following are not permitted in the CVICU:
- Food and drinks
- Flowers, balloons and other small gifts
- Cameras/video recorders or picture taking
- Cellular phones (must be turned off)
Patients always come first at Cleveland Clinic. In the CVICU, there are times when visitation may need to be postponed or shortened so we can continue to keep the patients' needs and safety our number one concern. You will be asked to leave the patient's room and wait in the Family Lounge when patient procedures are being performed and at other times when the doctor or other health care team members feel that visitation is not in the patient's best interest.
Your family member may have an endotracheal tube (breathing tube) in his or her throat, which is connected to a respirator to assist breathing. While it is in place, the patient will not be able to talk or swallow. You are encouraged to ask questions that only require a yes or no response, so the patient can shake or nod in reply. The endotracheal tube will be removed when the patient is fully awake and breathing independently. Once the endotracheal tube is removed, the patient will be able to talk. Keep in mind that the patient may be groggy and may not be able to communicate with you.
The medical equipment used in the CVICU and surgical units has alarm settings to alert caregivers to possible changes in a patient’s condition. These alarms are very sensitive to the patient’s movements and coughing, and may not reflect any real problem.
Don't forget to take care of yourself! We know how difficult it is to have a loved one in the hospital, and how uncertain things may seem. During these times, family members tend to ignore their own needs, and may even be afraid to leave the hospital. But, it is important that you take care of yourself. Eating properly, getting rest and taking care of your personal needs are important. We encourage you to talk about your feelings with our health care team - we will do our best to help you.
The surgical team will determine when the patient will be transferred from the CVICU to a step-down nursing unit.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please call the CVICU Nurse Coordinator by dialing 63272 on any beige house phone.
Once the patient has been transferred from the CVICU to a step-down nursing unit, please keep the following tips in mind:
- Encourage the patient to walk as much as tolerated, use the incentive spirometer and any other recommended breathing aids, and request pain medication when needed.
- Additional information is found in the patient binder.
To help prevent the spread of the seasonal flu and H1N1, Cleveland Clinic is limiting hospital visitation to healthy adults 19 and older. Please do not bring visitors under the age of 19 to visit patients at any Cleveland Clinic hospital. Thank you!
More information on this policy is available at:
