COMPANIONS/ ATTENDANTS inside ICU's

Over 50% of Infections are infected in patients in the Hospitals including ICU's. This is true in USA also. So less visitors the better. In our Indian Customs every Tom Dick and Harry wants to mark his / her attendance without realizing the Consequences. more  

Thank you all for your comments on the subject. I fully understand and appreciate the concerns against an open door policy inside ICU and No that is not what I was thinking about. I don't support as mentioned by someone that some hospitals were allowing food and multiple visitors all the time inside ICU. Though on the other hand, as a layman I also don't understand the rationale of germs spreading only from companions to patients inside ICU when they stay for 24 hours. Will the germs not spread in the 30 min to 1 hour visiting hours for ICU's which are permitted in almost all hospitals ? Also very often the so called specialists enter ICU's with their teams( I have seen a team of 10 together) in normal clothes, shoes, talking on mobiles etc on their patient visits. Does'nt this spread germs ? I feel there can be a MIDWAY where hospitals can build a policy when allowing such companions / attendants which requires them to wear scrubs and masks inside ICU, NO food, mobiles, conversations, cellphones inside ICU, usage of adequate hand sanitizers before entering the ICU and also inside, NO frequent change of attendants to be allowed lest people use it as a visitors opportunity, waiver of any liability on hospitals part for attendants getting sick or worse inside ICU due to any reasons. Segregation of high risk individuals ( contagious diseases) is also an option. Reason I am being so passionate about this is that I am concerned about our loved ones being alone, sad, scared, angry,confused, surrounded by strangers when they are inside ICU, specially as they near death and probably are crying for us to be there with them. I am concerned about the frustration that one can only feel when you have experienced the situation of being told that your loved one is no more inspite of you having brought them in a better condition to the hospital and strangely their situation takes a turn for worse. I am concerned about the lack of transparency around treatment, costs, the credentials of doctors, nursing staff etc and how some, not all, hospitals use ICU's as money printing machines and share the spoils with the doctors. I do hope a balance approach can make us be closer to our loved ones when they need us most near the time of their death. Regards Prabhat Sharma more  

I am astonished on the point of allowing companion in ICU. So fat I have not been able to enter in ICUs of Apollo Hospital, Escorts (now Fortis) and AIIMS, New Delhi. If companions are allowed then there is little difference in room and ICU and likely hood of spreading infection from these companions in ICUs. more  

The problem is that the larger the number of people who enter the ICU the greater the risk of taking additional infections into the ICU and creating problems for people who are ill and have low immunity. more  

Jaipur Golden Hospital ICU -attendants unlimited , oily food for cardiac patients , women cardiac patients & ortho fracture patients in same ward(ICU) ,Malyali Nurses speaking their regional language , not well versed with Hindi/ English. It is difficult for patients to communicate with them & they work like robots without orders from doctors, give injections like Heparin prescribed a day ago. more