Open Visitation In Nursing

150 Words1 Pages
Nursing perceptions, gaps in knowledge, and lack of policy contribute to inconsistent visitation practices. The purpose of this review article is to gain a better understanding of the barriers and benefits of an open visitation policy and unrestricted family presence. Five overarching themes categorizing the nursing perceptions opposing open visitation are discussed, and include: legal ramifications, nursing morale, provision of care, patient wellbeing and family wellbeing. The advantages of unrestricted family presence for both the patient and family members are highlighted and contradict the opposing perceptions, signifying the benefits of an open visitation policy. It is recommended that all critical care units adopt a 24-hour open visitation