Visitor Guidelines and Hours
2025-26 Flu season visitation guidelines for all UCI Health locations
We've witnessed a significant national increase in seasonal influenza cases and hospitalizations. A particularly aggressive flu strain is driving severe outbreaks and is impacting pediatric patients the most.
To protect our patients and healthcare workers, we are implementing temporary visitor restrictions. We appreciate your understanding.
Lobby visiting hours
Seven days per week
- Fountain Valley: 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
- Irvine: 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
- Lakewood: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Los Alamitos: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Orange: 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
- Placentia Linda: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
If you have any questions, or need additional information, please contact Nancy Munoz, Guest Services Department Manager in the Office of Patient Experience.
Phone: 714-589-9187
Email: munozne@uci.edu
General guidelines: inpatient locations
- Two visitors are allowed to visit a patient at any time, provided they or their household contacts do not have cold/flu or other symptoms suggesting contagious illness (fever, cough, runny nose, diarrhea).
- Minors (under 16 years old) are not allowed to visit without an approved exception.
- Pre-op area and lobby allow two visitors per patient only.
- Visitor overnight stay: If one of the two visitors of the day chooses to stay or is asked by the patients' clinical team to support the patient by staying overnight, they must check in at the front desk upon arrival and request an overnight badge. If the visitor arrives before or after visiting hours, the front desk will call the unit to confirm the visit is allowed. If a visitor needs to stay a second night, they must return to the front desk the following morning for a new overnight badge. Patients in double-occupancy rooms require unit clinical leadership approval. NOTE: Visitors staying overnight who have come through the emergency department (ED) will be referred to the front desk by the bedside nurse once the patient is admitted to the unit.
- End-of-life (EOL) patients may have visitors at the bedside and will follow UCI Health location-specific EOL guidelines. We strive to ensure that at least one person is with the patient during the entire period (24 hours) so that no patient is alone at the end of their life.
L&D, NICU, PICU visitation guidelines
L&D
Labor and delivery (L&D) patients are allowed to have two visitors once they have been admitted. Rotation of multiple visitors is not allowed.
- A doula, if the patient desires, is permitted to be present if prior arrangements have been made with the hospital. The doula must also comply with hospital PPE and infection-control guidelines.
Post-partum patients are allowed two visitors per patient (visitors cannot rotate). One partner can stay with the patient 24/7.
OB triage patients are allowed one visitor when appropriate. Visitors may be directed to the OB waiting room when required to respect patient dignity and privacy.
NICU, PICU and Pediatrics
Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients may have one birth parent (or officially appointed surrogate) plus a support person (two visitors total that will remain the same during the visit). Visitor(s) must remain in the patient's room for the entire visit.
- UCI NICU leadership and clinical team can evaluate visitation based on each case to support the appropriate level of care needed and allow for visitation exceptions.
Minor sibling (under 16 years old) visitation is discouraged. However, if an in-person visit is needed (typically due to childcare issues), the child must adhere to the following guidelines:
- Minor and all household contacts must not have cold/flu or other symptoms suggesting contagious illness (fever, cough, runny nose, nausea, diarrhea).
- Must clean their hands when they enter and throughout the visit.
- Must remain in patient's room and avoid touching the patient and equipment.
- Must always be supervised by a parent or designated caregiver.
Note: UCI Health NICU leadership and clinical team may evaluate visitation for each case to support the appropriate level of care needed and allow for visitation exceptions.
Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and pediatric patients may have two adult visitors, preferably a parent. They should limit their exposure to other areas of the hospital as much as possible.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) gift policy
Per gift shop policy, please remember that visitors cannot bring balloons, flowers or plants into the ICU/NICU. View the Robert R. & Margaret L. Sprague Gift Shop page.
ED visitation guidelines
- ED patients are allowed one visitor at a time. For the safety of our staff, patients and other visitors, visitors may be asked to wait offsite until they are notified by the patient or UCI Health staff to return. Visitors may wait at the benches alongside the parking lot.
- Once the patient has been admitted to the hospital, the visitor must comply with the inpatient visitation guidelines.
- UCI Health — Irvine and UCI Health — Placentia Linda allow two visitors per patient.
Psychiatry visitation guidelines
Visitation hours, adult and adolescent:
- Monday-Friday, 6-7:30 p.m.
- Weekends and holidays, 1-2:30 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m.
Note: If ages 14-15 need to visit as part of the patient's discharge plan, we will obtain special order from the physician. Then, the nurse will update the front desk.
Ambulatory location visitation guidelines
The limited visitor policy above also applies to all general UCI Health ambulatory (outpatient) locations. Children under 16 years old are not permitted, and patients are allowed two visitors.
For the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and infusion center locations, children under 16 years old are not permitted and patients are allowed one visitor.
Other conditions or emergent situations may qualify as an exception as determined by the patient's clinical care team.
Questions?
If you need additional information, please call our Office of Patient Experience and Guest Services at 714-456-7606 or our public safety team at 714-456-5493.
Please note that visitor policy may change at any time without prior notice. UCI Health reserves the right to make exceptions to the visitor policy under special circumstances. Visitors may be asked to leave the facility if they are not following the above policy or are not complying with general hospital visitation policy.