< Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

NICU Visitation Guidelines

We’re here to support you and your family every step of the way. To help create a safe, healing environment in the NICU, please review the following visitation information before your first visit.

When You Arrive

  • Please check in at the Arkansas Children’s entrance to receive a temporary visitor badge.
  • First-time visitors should stop by the NICU reception desk for check-in and orientation.

What You’ll Need

  • A valid photo ID is required to receive a NICU visitor badge.
  • All guests must wear this badge while inside the NICU.

What to Expect on Your First Visit

  • You'll receive a brief orientation to help you feel comfortable in the NICU environment.
  • We’ll provide you with our NICU Family & Friends Guidelines to support your visits.


When your baby first arrives in the NICU, visitation may be limited while our care team performs initial exams and tests. Our goal is for you to see your baby as soon as possible. 

NICU Visitor Policy

Visitation Update: Effective April 11, 2025

To protect the health and safety of our patients, NICU visitation is currently limited to two parents or primary caregivers.
 
At this time, siblings are not permitted in the NICU due to extra safety precautions.
 
Given the increased risk of infection to babies in the NICU, visitors will be asked not to visit, if they have had any nausea, vomiting, fever, sore throat, coughing, runny nose, or any other symptoms of illness within the last 24 hours.

Required Badges

Your badge must be worn at all times.

Visiting Times

There is no restricted visiting for parents or guardians. You are encouraged to spend as much time with your child as possible during their entire hospital stay. Exceptions are made for new admissions to the NICU.

Parent Expectations

You are invited to be present during nursing shift changes. Please be aware that your baby's nurse may not be able to address all of your questions during that busy time. We also invite you to participate during the daytime rounds of the medical team, which can occur at different times throughout the day. Please let your baby's nurse know if you would like to be present for rounds so that you may be contacted.

Visiting certain areas of the NICU may be restricted for short periods of time due to surgical procedures being performed in that area.

Family House

The NICU Family House is on the 3rd Floor of the South Wing just inside the NICU. A Family service representative is available from 8:00 am to 9:30 pm to assist with overnight accommodations, as well as reservations for Ronald McDonald House. Parents are encouraged to use the waiting room for rest. Two parents or guardians will be allowed to remain in the waiting room overnight. Children are not allowed to stay overnight. The NICU Family House is equipped with chair beds, lockers, and showers for your use. As space permits, a maximum of two sleeping spaces is available to parents, guardians, and grandparents. A kitchenette area and laundry facility are also available inside the NICU Family House.

The private rooms in South are able to accommodate the baby and 2 other family members. Only two people are allowed to stay overnight. No children are allowed to stay overnight in the NICU private rooms. A private room has a private shower and bathroom.

Ronald McDonald House

The Ronald McDonald House is available at the Arkansas Children's for the parents of the NICU patients who live over 50 miles away. Ask the Family Services Assistant in the NICU Family House to place your name on the waiting list. The Family Services Assistant can also help you arrange other lodgings. Many local hotels offer a discount to parents of babies in the NICU.

The patients in the NICU have very little ability to fight infection. Therefore, we are very careful about protecting them from exposure. All visitors are asked to wash their hands and arms (to the elbow). Sinks are located at the entrance to the NICU and in the area where your baby is located. For infection control and privacy issues, you should remain at your baby's bedside and not visit other babies in the NICU.

Toys are welcome at your baby's bedside, but please limit them to two at a time, please. Also, the toys must be able to be wiped clean, therefore no stuffed animals. For safety reasons, rubber balloons are not allowed. Socks, booties, hats, two Mylar balloons, drawings from siblings, cards and photographs are welcome. Please be aware that while every attempt is made to protect personal items, they may be lost or broken. Heirlooms and breakable items are discouraged. Names should be written with a permanent marker on personal items and clothing. Parents must wash infant's personal clothing.

When you contact the hospital for the first time, you will be asked to select a "code word" to be used by PARENTS ONLY for information over the phone. Please do not share this word with grandparents or friends. Due to privacy laws, they should get information from you. A toll-free number is available for parents only. Parents only may receive phone calls in the waiting room (501-364-7025). Family members may leave messages for parents at this number as the unit secretary cannot take personal messages.

Cell phones are permitted with the ringer on vibrate or silence. Please clean your cell phones with antibacterial wipes provided in the Family House. Please step out of the NICU for long phone conversations. We ask that you do not use your phone for talking or texting while holding your baby. We encourage you to take photos of your baby (taking photos of other babies is not allowed). Phones located in the NICU are for staff use only. There are phones available in the NICU Family House.