Patients will present to their designated
surgical center admissions area the date of scheduled surgery for admission.
Do not eat or drink after midnight before your surgery. Please tell us
if your physician has instructed you to have any food or drink at all.
Do not wear colored nail polish, make up, or jewelry.
Be aware of which medications to take and which not to take.
When you get to the pre-op area, a nurse will verify the information on
the nursing history and perform a physical assessment. You will be asked
to empty your bladder and put on a hospital gown. You may have an IV started
in your room. However, this may wait until you get to surgery. Your family
will be sent to the surgical waiting room. Surgery and Recovery Room will
call to inform your family about your condition. Please tell your family
to let the nurses in pre-op know where they will be should they leave
the surgical waiting room.
Your Surgery
When you are ready for surgery, you will be taken to the "holding"
area of the surgical suite. The anesthesiologist will visit with you about
your anesthesia. Please inform him/her of any problems you've had with
anesthesia. At least one hour prior to your surgery, the surgical staff
will discuss information given at PAT time, start an IV and perform a
skin prep and other procedures required before surgery. The staff will
be wearing caps, masks and gowns. The operating room has bright lights,
much equipment and is very cold. Sticky pads will be attached to you to
monitor your heart rate and rhythm.
After Surgery
After your surgery, you will be taken to the Recovery Room to wake up from
your anesthesia, where specially-trained nurses will monitor you. If you
have general anesthesia, you will have a tube in your airway to assure
you can breathe. Usually by the time you wake up, it will already be removed.
Because of this, you may have some soreness in your throat. When you feel
cold and shaky, ask the nurse for warm blankets. If you feel pain, tell
the nurse. Usually, you will be able to take pain medication. We want
you to be as comfortable as possible.
Your Recovery
You can do things to speed your recovery. You will need to turn every one
to two hours. You must take at least five deep breaths every one to two
hours. This will help prevent pneumonia and improve circulation. Use a
pillow or folded sheet to support your incision when you breathe deeply,
cough, laugh or move.
You will need to walk as soon as you are allowed. Walking promotes circulation
and normal body functioning, especially your bowels and bladder. Your
physician will give you fluids and food as soon as you can tolerate them
or when he/she feels you are ready.
If you are an outpatient, you may go home the afternoon of your surgery.
Please make sure someone will be here to drive you home. Sometimes the
physician may feel you need to stay overnight. If you do stay overnight,
your hospital room number will be assigned while you are in the recovery
area. You will then be moved to your hospital room at the appropriate
time. Before you leave the hospital, you will be told about your:
Diet
Activities
Medications
Bathing
Incision site
Dressing
Dr. visit/stitches removal
Return to work
Patient Status Tracking
Hendrick is committed to keeping you informed during your loved one’s
time in the hospital. To protect patient privacy, each surgery patient
is assigned a patient ID number. Use this number and the colors of the
key below to follow your loved one through each stage of the surgical
process. For your convenience, the tracking system is viewable on monitors
in waiting areas and the Archway Café., or by tuning in to the
TVs located in patients’ rooms.
To view the tracking system online, go to
ehendrick.org/track or scan the QR code on the patient tracker card or on the tracking screens
with your smartphone’s camera to open the website on your phone’s
web browser.
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