Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Information for Patient Families
Caring Through COVID-19
Learn how we're keeping families safe at Nationwide Children's
Planning for Your Visit
The health and safety of our patients, families and staff has always been our top priority. During the COVID-19 pandemic our mission remains the same. With guidance from public health officials and our own medical experts, we are slowly and carefully opening our services more broadly again.
As you return to our facilities, you will notice many changes we’ve implemented to keep us all safe. First, we ask that you wear your own mask in the parking lot until you get inside the building. There you will be greeted at our masking and screening stations. When you enter the hospital or an outpatient facility, you will be provided with a mask and may be asked some questions about how you are feeling. Here are a few other things you need to know before your next visit:
- Per state and federal guidelines, all patients and visitors must continue wearing masks within health care facilities. Nationwide Children’s will provide a medical mask to every patient and visitor 2 years and older. The mask must be worn throughout your visit.
- Children who are outpatient (those who are coming for a clinic visit or outpatient procedure) may have one visitor.
- Children who are being seen at our Urgent Care centers or Emergency Departments may have two visitors.
- Children who are inpatient (those who are staying in the hospital) may have four visitors.
- Children may be required to be tested for COVID-19 prior to a test or procedure. Speak to your child’s care team with questions. Click here for tips on preparing kids for COVID-19 swabs.
Learn more, like how to properly wear a face mask, below.
COVID-19 Vaccine for Patients and the General Public
Patients and the general public who meet certain criteria, as defined by Ohio Department of Health guidelines, are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Visitor Guidelines
Visitor restrictions are in place to protect everyone’s health and safety and reduce the number of people in our facilities at any given time. This helps ensure social distancing.
Children who are outpatient (those who are coming for a clinic visit or outpatient procedure) may have one visitor.
- This ensures we can maintain safe distancing for all families moving around campus, riding elevators and visiting our outpatient clinics and services. This includes Outpatient Surgery and Radiology.
Children who are being seen at our Urgent Care centers or Emergency Departments may have two visitors.
Children who are inpatient (those who are staying in the hospital) may have four visitors.
- Inpatients may now have four visitors accompanying them on campus. This includes surgery patients who will be admitted after their procedure. Families will still follow the same guidelines previously in place:
- Four visitors identified for the duration of the stay. A maximum of two visitors may be at the bedside at a time.
- Certain units - H2, H4, H8, NICUs and Hematology/Oncology – have age restrictions. Visitors should be healthy, free of COVID symptoms and 12 years of age or older. There is no age restriction for visitors on all other units.
- Masks worn at all times while on campus and visitors remain in the patient’s room during their visit.
Safety First: Learn how we’re caring for our patients and visitors during COVID-19.
Masking Guidelines
Did you know that people can spread COVID-19 even if they don’t have symptoms? That’s why it is important to wear a mask in public settings.
- Per state and federal guidelines, all patients and visitors must continue wearing masks within health care facilities. Nationwide Children’s will provide a medical mask to every patient and visitor 2 years and older. The mask must be worn throughout your visit.
- Children under 2 should never wear a mask. Click here to learn why.
Wear a Medical Mask at All Times
- Medical masks include hospital-provided masks, surgical masks and N95 masks (without exhalation valve)
- Cloth masks, scarves or bandanas cannot be used inside Nationwide Children’s facilities, since stronger protections are required for a health care setting. They are acceptable for other, non-health care public areas.
How to Correctly Wear a Medical Mask
- Wear the mask over both your nose and mouth.
- Pinch the nose bar to fit the mask to your nose.
- The mask must stay over your nose and mouth when talking.
More Masking Resources
Cleaning and Sanitizing
- Increased the number of times our facilities are being cleaned and sanitized
- High-touch areas like door handles, elevator buttons and telephones are being given especially frequent attention
- Appointments are being spaced to allow additional deep cleaning of exam rooms and clinical spaces between patients
- Encouraging patients and families to use hand sanitizer and practice good hand washing
Physical Distancing Throughout Our Locations
- Limiting visitors (one per patient for outpatient visits and procedures, two per patient for Urgent Care and Emergency Department and four per patient for inpatient care)
- Limiting the number of people in elevators
- Installed Plexiglas dividers at all registration locations
- Rearranged waiting room seating to allow patients and their visitor to stay 6 feet apart
- Asking families to wait in their car until we are ready (care teams are sharing details with families)
Scheduling
- Scheduling fewer patients to maintain physical distancing on-site
- Continuing to offer telehealth phone or video visits if appropriate
More Resources
See How We're Keeping Families Safe
Every Well-child Visit is Critically Important. Especially Now.
To schedule an appointment, call (614) 722-6200. Looking for a primary care doctor that’s right for you? We offer 24/7 chat support or call (614) 722-KIDS (5437). Click here to chat now.
More Resources
Updates and Resources
Telehealth
We are now offering telehealth services for most outpatient services. Learn more here.
Financial Assistance
We are committed to providing health care for children regardless of their ability to pay. Click here for more information about financial assistance.
Traveling Families
Our Global Patient Services team helps connect families to resources to support them during their stay. They can even make hotel reservations on your behalf. Learn more.
Multilingual COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19 information and resources in many languages is available from:
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Ohio Department of Health
Other News
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Donation Drop Off
At this time, Nationwide Children’s Hospital is not accepting handmade fabric masks. For donating fabric masks and where they can be most useful, as a starting point, please contact your local public health department.
In terms of medical supplies, Nationwide Children’s is accepting new, in original packaging, never-used, and unopened N95 respirators, surgical masks, ear loop and duckbill masks of all sizes, face shields, exam gloves, hand sanitizer that has greater than 60% alcohol, hand soap, eye protection, no touch infrared thermometers and more. Donors with less than one car full of items may drop them off in the Nationwide Children’s Hospital main lobby located at 630 Children’s Drive. Donors with more than one car full of items should reach out to Jillean Bastian for arrangements.
Urgent Care Locations Open
All Nationwide Children’s Hospital Urgent Care locations remain open. Due to visitor restrictions, only two adults may accompany a patient to any Urgent Care location. Call your child’s pediatrician or family doctor before seeking urgent care unless your child’s physician is unavailable or your child is experiencing a medical emergency. Click here to find the Urgent Care closest to you and view wait times.
More COVID-19 Resources
The Joining Hands Fund: Helping Kids and Families Face Coronavirus
Donate today to support our employees on the front lines, as well as support children and families affected, research, telehealth, behavioral health services and more.