Policies

Before visiting a patient at a VA facility, review these guidelines:　

Visiting hours:

Call the medical center for specific ward visiting hours and information.
Grand Junction VA Medical Center: 970-242-0731

Visiting church members
If you’re a member of the religious community, we encourage you to visit patients who belong to your church or religious group. However, you’re not allowed to do general visitation by going from bed to bed, ward to ward, or unit to unit.　

Bringing food
You may bring small amounts of candy, fruit, and other food items if the nursing staff says they are appropriate for a patient's diet. You may not bring fresh fruit and flowers to patients who are receiving critical care, and you can’t eat or drink in those units.

Washing hands
You must follow hand-hygiene policy guidelines, which require you to practice good hand hygiene when you enter and exit patient rooms, and at other times as directed by staff.

Following infection-control guidelines
You must follow guidelines on infection-control signs and report to the nurses' station for instructions before you enter a patient's room.

Staying home if you are ill
If you have a communicable disease, you won't be allowed to visit patients inside the medical center.

Prohibited items
You're not allowed to bring weapons, cameras, or other prohibited items into the medical center, except when you're conducting official business authorized by the Director or their designee. If you have questions about what qualifies as official business, please contact the facility's Director.　

Giving privacy
Our staff may ask you to leave the room when they’re caring for patients. If a staff member asks you to leave a patient's room, you may continue your visit in the day room, waiting area, or any other public area of the facility.

Visiting seriously ill patients
Relatives and friends may visit patients who are seriously ill or in hospice care at any time of day, unless the staff doctor says no.

Visiting patients in restraints
In general, you won't be allowed to visit patients who are in restraints. If the treatment team decides that your visit could have a positive effect on the patient, then you may have a supervised visit with the patient when a staff member removes the restraints. Our staff will document how the patient responds to you and other visitors.　

Bringing children to visit
Children of all ages can visit patients at our medical center. For infection-control and safety reasons, however, children under the age of 16 are not allowed to visit certain specialty-care units. . All children under the age of 16 must be directly supervised by an adult. Children's bedside visits are limited to 15 minutes.

Visiting psychiatric units with children
Children under the age of 16 may visit patients in psychiatric units with the doctor’s permission.

Limiting your visit
Our doctors may limit, restrict, or deny visits for the medical well-being of a patient.  We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. 

Prohibited items
You can't bring weapons, alcohol, or illegal drugs into the building.  Because the VA medical center is federal property, all visitors and bags may be searched.  

Security 

VA Western Colorado Health Care System has a Police Service. Our officers provide 24-hour patrols of the facility and parking lots. For general police assistance, please dial 970-242-0731, ext. 2178. In case of an emergency, dial 911. Report all suspicious or criminal activity, vehicle accidents, and personal property losses to the VA Police while on the facility grounds as soon as possible.

Because the VA Western Colorado Health Care System is federal property, all persons and bags are subject to search. In addition, no weapons, alcohol, or illegal drugs are permitted.