Visitor Guidelines

Visiting Hours Visiting hours in the ICU are 24 hours a day. We do our best to allow as much visiting as possible. If you arrive between 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m., you will need to enter through the main hospital entrance.    When you first get to the unit, please call the nurses’ station to see if this is a good time to visit. We ask that only 2 or 3 people at a time visit because of the space limits in patients rooms.

Guidelines: Visiting hours Waiting Rooms Cell Phones and Laptops Children Gifts and Food Staying Overnight Photographs Preventing Infection

Waiting Rooms

Sometimes, visitors for one patient can easily fill the a waiting room. Please share the space and be respectful of the needs and situations of the other families.

Cell Phones and Laptops

Cell phones can interfere with ventilator settings and should be at least 3 feet away. Please ask the nurse where an appropriate place to use and place your cell phone.  
Rapid City Regional has wireless internet that is provided if you have a laptop. There are also public computers located in the cafeteria and Lein waiting room on the second floor.   

Children

Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to visit, not only for their safety, but also for your loved one’s safety.  If you have special circumstances please discuss this with the nurse. It is best to prepare your children for what they may see and hear before they visit. Parents know their children best, and they know if seeing their loved one in the ICU is something that they can handle. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times.   

Gifts and Food

Live plants and flowers are NOT allowed in the patient’s room. They pose risks for infection. We strongly encourage sending cards, e-mails, non-latex balloons and photos that can be displayed in your loved one’s room.  
If your loved one is able to eat, please check with the nurse before bringing in food from outside the hospital for them.  

Staying Overnight

We prefer that you do not stay the night at the bedside, however if there is a special situation discuss this with the nurse. There are some times when this will not work because the condition of the patient makes your staying overnight not possible. We apologize if we are not able to fulfill your request.  

• 5-Northeast: (605) 719-8500
• 5-Southeast: (605) 719-8510
• 2-Northeast: (605) 719-2260.  

Photographs

Rapid City Regional Hospital does not allow photography for any reason not related to assessment, diagnosis and or treatment without patient authorization. 

Preventing the Spread of Infection

We do our best to prevent the spread of infections to other patients, visitors, and staff. We ask you to help in these ways:

• Wash your hands and/or us the alcohol foam whenever you come into the patient’s room and when you leave the room.
• If you are not feeling well, please do not visit. Come when you are felling better.
• Sometimes, patients are put into “isolation” because of the type of infections they may have. If your family member is in isolation, we will ask you to follow the isolation requirements that are posted on the sign on the outside of the door to their room.