All hospitals share the same goal: to make sure that patients are taken care of and that they stay safe. If a friend or family member ends up in the hospital, this will be your most important concern as well.

It’s actually quite common for people to harm their loved ones, or even other patients, when visiting the hospital. They may not respect the patient’s wishes to be alone or they may not give the patient enough time to rest. Follow these three rules to ensure that you’re not getting in the way of a patient’s recovery.

First, if it’s possible, always make an effort to ask for a patient’s permission to visit before showing up at the hospital. Many hospital patients appreciate their friends’ and family members’ visits but sometimes they’ll just feel like resting and would rather not have visitors. The patients’ needs are more important than yours when it comes to visitation, so you should respect them.

Second, do your best not to bring any bacteria into the patient’s room. Wash or sanitize your hands before visiting, especially if you’ll be touching the patient or touching the same objects. Don’t make the mistake of bringing harmful germs to a patient who is already ill or recovering.

Similarly, you shouldn’t enter a hospital at all if you’re sick, especially if you have something contagious. It could make things much harder for many people, including the patient, if contagious illnesses are brought into the hospital.

Third, remember that it isn’t the patient’s job to make sure you’re entertained while visiting. They may just want to rest instead of having a conversation with visitors.

Try not to stay in the patient’s room for too long at one time; a half-hour to an hour is a good length of time for a hospital visit. While visiting the patient, look out for signs that he or she is tired and needs some rest.

Simply keep these tips in mind when visiting a loved one in the hospital and you’ll make things easier on both you and the patient. Your loved one will appreciate that you’ve taken the time to ensure his or her comfort.