Important Information About Visitation Guidelines

at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children's Hospital of New Jersey

Effective February 16, 2026

Visiting Hours

Standard Visiting Hours

All RWJBarnabas Health adult acute-care hospitals hold visiting hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week.

We recognize the vital role that families and loved ones play in supporting a patient’s care and well-being. When medically appropriate, exceptions to standard visiting hours such as end-of-life care, visitors of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), parents/guardians of pediatric patients, disabled patients with caregivers, and the care partner program can be granted to accommodate unique patient and caregiver needs.

Patients and families are encouraged to speak with their care team during a hospital stay to discuss individual circumstances.

Additional Visitation Guidelines

Visiting hours for specific units may vary. Please be sure to review the visitation guidelines below before visiting.

• Adult Inpatient
  Up to two visitors permitted at same time
• Emergency Department
  Up to one visitor permitted for duration
• Obstetrics/Labor and Delivery
  Up to two visitors permitted at same time
  One doula, must be the same doula, for duration of birth parent’s stay
• Surgery/Procedure Patients
  Provided social distancing can be accomplished, one visitor until patient is taken into prep
  One visitor when patient is in recovery and preparing for discharge
• Pediatrics
  Two parents or guardians may visit at the same time
  Siblings may be permitted for end of life
• Immunocompromised
  No visitors
  • EXCEPTION: One parent or one guardian of pediatric patients for the duration of stay
  • EXCEPTION: Exceptions may apply to pediatrics, labor and delivery, end of life, and patients with intellectual, developmental or cognitive impairment including dementia, communication barriers or behavioral concerns.
  • EXCEPTION: End-of-life care
• Psychiatry
  Up to two visitors for duration may be permitted
  Permission to visit is granted at discretion of care team
  Permission to visit must be approved by care team in advance of visit
• End of Life
  No limit on number of visitors permitted, provided care team approves and deems it is safe and feasible to meet social distancing guidelines

Masking

In response to key viral benchmarks across RWJBarnabas Health and the region, RWJBarnabas Health has updated its masking protocols across all locations in the system.

Please see the RWJBarnabas Health visitation page for the latest masking guidelines.

The RWJBarnabas Health Fast-Pass visitor identification system is now live. All visitors will be required to present identification at hospital entrances, at which time they will be issued a Photo ID Badge.

Safety Measures

Upon checking in, please let a member of our team know if you are experiencing any of the following:

1. If you have a fever or have felt feverish in the last 24 hours or are experiencing COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms. Possible symptoms include, but are not limited to:
   • Fever or chills
   • Cough
   • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
   • Fatigue
   • Muscle or body aches
   • Headache
   • New loss of taste or smell
   • Sore throat
   • Congestion or runny nose
   • Nausea or vomiting
   • Diarrhea
2. If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 (or another contagious respiratory illness, such as influenza or RSV) within the last 10 days.
3. If you have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 infection (or another contagious respiratory illness) in the last 10 days even if you are asymptomatic.

All visitors must perform hand hygiene before visiting a patient.

RWJBH understands that a hospitalization can be a stressful and uncertain time for many. The visitation policy reflects our commitment to addressing the needs of our patients while prioritizing the safety of all those who enter our facilities.

Our staff and physicians are here to support you and your loved ones and will take into consideration any requests that are made beyond the parameters of this policy in the best interest of the patient.

With guidance from the New Jersey Hospital Association, New Jersey Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and regional and local health departments, we are taking all the necessary steps to ensure the health, well-being and safety of our patients, our staff and the communities we serve.

We thank you in advance for your understanding and patience.