Nurses' Perceived Effects of Visitor Restrictions in Hospital Maternity Units.

Purpose: To explore how perinatal nurses perceive the effects of visitor restrictions on patient care within a hospital setting.

Study design and methods: We distributed a cross-sectional survey online to perinatal nurses in May of 2022. Characteristics of respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Responses to an open-ended question were analyzed via conventional content analysis.

Results: Among our sample of 101 nurses, we identified seven codes representing positive effects and seven codes representing negative effects. The most frequently reported positive effects were ability to provide person-centered care ( n = 36, 35.6%) and less patient stress and more rest ( n = 29, 28.7%). The most frequently reported negative effects were limited patient support ( n = 22, 21.8%) and emotional distress to the patient ( n = 15, 14.9%). Fourteen percent ( n = 14) of respondents cited both positive and negative effects.

Clinical implications: Nurses perceived that visitor restrictions resulted in both positive and negative patient experiences. Balancing clinical needs and safety considerations with emotional needs of the childbearing individual requires careful consideration by maternity care clinicians and health care systems. Subsequent research is needed to determine optimal visitation policies during intrapartum and postpartum with consideration to hospital context and patient preferences for optimal care.