Visitation policies in the ICU: a time for change

The belief that visitation restrictions in the ICU are for the patient's good is not fully supported by research. However, there are no firm conclusions regarding how visitation decisions should be made. This paper suggests that decisional control over visitation be given to the patient and that, with the nurse functioning as a patient advocate, individualization of visitation be practiced. It is up to nursing to institute changes in visitation of the critical care patient.