Inpatient Visitation Policy
At Children's Mercy, parents are essential members of their child's health care team and are not considered visitors. This role is important because parents know their child best. Parents and guardians will be given an green wristband which welcomes them 24 hours a day.
Anyone 16 years of age and older is required to have a driver's license or another form of ID to enter the hospital. You'll be given a sticker to be worn while in the hospital. Visitors under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult and not left unattended.
All visitors must be screened for illness before visiting any inpatient unit.
Visitors will pass through metal detectors and/or weapons detections systems when arriving at Children's Mercy.
Seasonal Inpatient Visitor Guidelines Starting Soon!
Starting Tuesday, November 4, 2025, children 12 and under will not be able to visit patients in the hospital.
- All guests must feel well and not be sick.
- Guests between the ages of 13-16 must always be with an adult.
- Visiting hours are from 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Parents/guardians are not considered visitors and may be with their child 24/7. Parents will still need to sign in and follow all safety precautions.
- Sometimes there can be exceptions to these rules. If you have any other questions, please talk to your child's nurse.
- These precautions do not apply for clinics and outpatient units.
Why do we have special visitor rules during virus season?
- Children’s Mercy and other kids’ hospitals are seeing more children getting sick and needing to stay in the hospital because of viruses that make it hard to breathe (also called respiratory viruses). These can include the flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and others. We want to keep our patients, families, and staff safe, especially when more people are getting sick.
These rules help protect kids who are already sick, their parents, and the people who take care of them. We also want to keep our hospital workers healthy so they can keep helping others.
- Dr. Christelle Ilboudo, our Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control says: “Anyone who has a respiratory virus can give it to someone else, even before the person with the virus starts feeling sick. Children 12 and under are the most at risk to catch a virus, and the least likely to follow the habits that help to avoid spreading viruses when they are sick.”
Visiting Hours
Children’s Mercy knows how comforting it is for children who need to stay overnight in the hospital for any length of time to have their parents/legal guardians close by. We welcome families as partners in their child’s care.
We've outlined guidelines to ensure patients and families have the best possible experience during their stay.
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Parents and guardians are welcome to be with their child 24 hours a day.
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Visiting hours for other guests are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Up to two parents, legal guardians, or authorized adults may stay overnight in the patient's room.
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Everyone must be screened for illness before visiting any inpatient unit.
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During times of high risk for infection, there may be some changes in the visitor policy.
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Any special considerations will be documented in the patient’s medical record.
We will not deny visitation privileges based on race, religion, ethnicity, language, culture, size, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic status, physical or mental ability or disability.