For visitors at Grand Strand Medical Center

GSMC has open visiting hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Entrance to the facility is limited to the Emergency Department after 8 p.m. Certain specialty areas have more restrictive visitation, as noted below.

Facility Quiet hours are in effect from 2-4 p.m. every day to allow our patients time to rest. We kindly ask that our visitors take a break from visiting at this time. There may be times visitors would need to remain at bedside. In this case please notify or speak with the nurse, charge nurse or leader of the nursing unit.

The health care team may implement visitation limitations based on but not limited to these considerations:

• Clinical and emotional needs of the patient are not amenable to visitation. Having family or visitors present must not put the patient at risk or bring the patient harm. Examples include exhaustion, over stimulation or marked increase in agitation.
• Visitor's inability/unwillingness to follow hospital policies.
• The need to maintain a sterile environment during bedside procedures.
• Limitations as requested by the patient or patient's designated representative.
• Space limitations in patient rooms.
• Patient, family, visitor, or employee safety issues.
• Visitors are asked to respect changes of shift from 6:30-7:30 p.m.by having minimal interruptions in entering and leaving the unites.
• Visitors with prohibitive legal documentation, such as arrest warrants or restraining orders, will not be allowed to visit.

Intensive Care Units:

1. All Adult ICU visitation is from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Visitors are asked to respect changes of shift from 6:30-7:30 PM by having minimal interruptions in entering and leaving the units.
2. Family and visitors to ICU patients must first check-in with unit personnel to ensure patient and staff safety as well as patient availability.
3. Family and visitors must wash their hands and wear personal protective equipment when visiting in the ICU as determined by the current unit practice and patient isolation status.
4. To facilitate rest and healing for the patient, family and visitors at the patient's bedside should be limited to two (2) at a time.
5. Family and visitors are requested to remain in the patient's room while visiting and not congregate in the hallways or enter other patient rooms.
6. Children under the age of 18 are not allowed to visit unless arranged in advance with the ICU Care Team Staff.
7. When not visiting with the patient, family and visitors are requested to not wait in the the hallways or outside the ICU entrance.
8.  There must be no interference with the care delivered to the patient. When in the opinion of the staff, visitation will interfere with patient care, the charge nurse should be consulted and if necessary, the visitors may be asked to leave the room to wait in the Main/South Tower Lobby.

Pediatrics/PICU:

1. Family presence is encouraged 24 hours a day without restriction. Both parents or one designated family member over the age of 18 years is encouraged to remain with the pediatric patient at all times including overnight. One parent/family member rooming in will be provided one meal tray per meal.
2. Visitation may be limited to one parent in certain infection control situations at the discretion of the Peds/PICU staff.
3. If a parent or guardian is unable to be at the bedside, the parent or guardian will provide a list of visitors who may visit. Medical information will not be provided to any visitor who has not been confirmed and documented by the parent or guardian, via telephone or at bedside.
4. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to visit unless specific exception granted in advance for extraordinary situations.
5. Parent/designated family member will be allowed to remain with the patient during bedside procedures. During all sterile procedures parent/designated family member must wear a gown and mask.
6. Family participation during bedside rounds and report will be encouraged.
7. Parents and approved visitors from the Peds/PICU visitor log will wear a pink arm band at all times.

Obstetric Department:

1. Patient will be asked to complete a list of up to 5 approved visitors on admission. All visitors will be greeted and validated. If there is no approved visitor list at the time, then the patient should be asked to complete form prior to any visitation. If potential visitor is not on the list then patient should be questioned as to whether they want that person to visit, and name added to the list. Siblings of the new baby are welcome and are not included in the 5 total visitors.
2. Postpartum Room visitors must be limited to 3 visitors per room during routine visitation hours.
3. One Support person may stay the night in the patient's room.
4. While in labor and delivery, two visitors on the approved list can be in the room, not including the support person (three people total). No children under the age of 15 are allowed to visit in labor and delivery. If a cesarean section is necessary for the wellbeing of the patient, only your support person can be in the labor room during recovery (2-3 hours post-op).
5. One Support Person is allowed during a c-section and recovery if the patient is awake.
6. Visitors may be asked to leave during procedures.

Level 2 Nursery:

1. A Level 2 Nursery Visitors List is to be completed by the mother.
2. Only 6 names total are to be on the visitor list, including mother, support person, and grandparents.
3. All visitors must be 15 years old or older.
4. Only two visitors are allowed in the nursery at a time.

Behavioral Health Patients in medical nursing units or holding in EDs:

• Visitation requests must be communicated to the Inter-disciplinary team (IDT) caring for the patient. The request will be reviewed by the IDT for appropriateness.
• If approved, after conferring with the MDT, the attending physician will enter an order naming the person and duration of the visit (no greater than 20 minutes).
• Visitation requests are approved for one time only visits. Each subsequent visit request must follow the process above.
• The Case Manager will contact the visitor to schedule a date and time that is convenient. Visitation may only be scheduled Monday - Friday between 12:00pm - 5:00pm.
  • Each visitation requires an order.
  • The visit is monitored by the Patient Safety Attendant (PSA) and patient door is open at all times.
  • The Case Manager will educate the visitor at time of scheduling all requirements:
    • No contraband allowed including: no food, drink, electronics, clothing, medications, sharps, gifts, etc.,
    • The visitor must present proof of ID.
    • Visitor will secure all personal belongings before entry.
    • The visitor will be wanded/searched for contraband by Security prior to entering the patient room.

Additional visiting guidelines

Visitors must be 12 years old or older, unless approved by the nurses' station. If you are visiting someone in the ER, you must be at least 18 years old. Unless there is a special reason why you need to wait with your loved one in the ER, it is recommended that you remain in your vehicle.

If possible, please do not bring bags or purses. Weapons of any kind are not permitted. All persons are subject to search, and the administration reserves the right to seize any unauthorized weapons or property.

Only two visitors are allowed for each adult patient, but visitors may switch throughout the hospital stay. While you are at the hospital, we ask that you follow these guidelines:

• Do not linger in the hallways or at the nurses' station.
• Do not take photographs and record videos.
• Do not visit your loved one with a cold or a cough.
• If a room curtain is closed, do not enter.
• If precaution signs are posted on your loved one's door, please see the nurses' station for guidance on entering.
• Keep noise level at a library level in the room and hallways.
• Limit your visit to 15 minutes or less.
• Live plants, cut flowers and latex balloons are prohibited in the ICU. Non-latex balloons are allowed.
• Please do not bring food or drinks. Due to infection control regulations, we cannot store anything in the hospital refrigerators.
• Use the chairs provided in the room or stand.
• Wash or sanitize hands when entering and exiting your loved one's room.
• Wear shirts and shoes.

Circumstances may allow for specific exceptions to any visitation restrictions described on this webpage. Those circumstances include religious visitation and a designated care person for a patient with a disability to assist with communication or other necessary components of the patient's treatment. All persons entering under an exception remain subject to appropriate infection control protocols.

If your loved one can do so, they should choose one family member or friend as a designated care person to be involved in their care plan and decision-making. This person may also serve as the designated spokesperson to communicate current health status among extended family members. Having this person in place will reduce the volume of calls that often prevent our nursing staff from properly caring for patients.

Furthermore, this person helps our staff with security concerns. We use a patient-specific passcode for security, and request that you have this number available when calling about your loved one. The designated care person should not give out the passcode, in order to protect their loved one's privacy.

When calling about your loved one, please contact the hospital's main number at (843) 692-1000. Provide their name and ask to be connected to the nurses' station.

Our hospital gift shop, Lori's Gifts, is available to visitors and guests. Our hours are Monday through Friday, from 9:00am to 8:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00am to 7:00pm.

Gift shop merchandise is designed to make your loved one's stay more comfortable. Items include:

• Balloon bouquets, including singing balloons
• Cards, magazines and books
• Clothing and accessories
• Custom gift baskets for adults and children
• Fresh flower arrangements, potted plants or silk plants
• Games and plush animals
• Picture frames
• Socks, slippers and robes

We also sell personal care items, including lip balm, lotion, hairbrushes, toothpaste and nail clippers.

You can earn points on all qualified purchases through our customer rewards program. Also, be sure to ask about our special weekly promotions.

Online orders

Place orders online for free same-day deliveries from the gift shop directly to patients in the hospital.

Phone orders

You may order gifts by phone during regular gift shop hours. There is no minimum purchase, and we will deliver within the hospital at no additional charge. All major credit cards are accepted. To make an order, please call us at (843) 692-4661.

Visitors, guests and patients can use our free wireless internet by downloading the MyHealthONE app.

If you or your loved one need support communicating during their stay, we provide auxiliary aids and services, including:

• Assistive listening devices
• Sign language and oral interpreters
• TeleTypewriters (TTYs) and Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDDs)

These services are available free of charge for effective communication. For assistance, please speak to any hospital personnel.

Waiting to hear about your loved one's surgery is made easier with our text updates. Register for patient SMS messages and receive information during their procedure.

Smoking is prohibited on all hospital property, including the use of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.