The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Príncipe de Asturias University Hospital, a public healthcare center of the Community of Madrid located in Alcalá de Henares, has extended its visiting hours. Visits are now from 12:00 to 20:00 daily, divided into two shifts (12:00-16:00 and 16:00-20:00). Each patient can have up to two companions per shift.
Through this initiative, ICU professionals aim to promote the recovery and emotional well-being of critically ill patients, reduce their anxiety, and provide more personalized and closer care. This extension also allows family members and caregivers to participate more actively in the patient's care process, fostering smoother communication with healthcare staff and alleviating their own anxiety and uncertainty.
This measure is part of the humanization strategy implemented in recent years within the hospital's ICU, an area particularly critical due to the nature of the treatments and patients admitted.
Recently, the ICU has also introduced the possibility for minor companions to visit admitted family members, when clinical and family circumstances permit. Following a preliminary assessment of the minor through a brief interview, and in conjunction with their family, it is decided whether the visit is appropriate and if psychological support is needed.
In this vein, the Unit is also currently working on creating a farewell space. The objective is to provide an intimate, calm, and humanized environment for the patient's final moments, ensuring maximum privacy and support for family members and caregivers.
With these initiatives, the Príncipe de Asturias University Hospital continues to advance its commitment to increasingly humane, accessible, and person-centered healthcare, integrating quality care with attention to the emotional and social needs of patients and their families throughout the clinical process.
