Admission Information

Day of Surgery

Before you come to the hospital

• Shower or bathe
• Brush your teeth
• Wear clean, loose and comfortable clothing
• Remove all body jewelry/facial piercings and leave at home
• Do not wear makeup or lotion
• Wear glasses - do not wear contacts (bring the case)

What to bring with you

• Any paperwork from your surgeon
• Photo ID and insurance card
• Copy of living will or medical power of attorney, if you have one
• Brace, sling or crutches (if applicable)
• Someone over age 18 to drive you home
• Co-payment (if applicable)
• Sleep apnea patients should bring their CPAP machine. Please empty water prior to arrival.

Eating and Drinking

• Do not drink alcohol or take street drugs for at least 24 hours before your surgery
• No smoking or tobacco use the day of surgery
• Nothing to eat or drink after midnight the night before surgery
• Take only medications as instructed
• Your surgeon or nurse will

Arriving for Surgery

Admitting (Registration)

• Check-in at the registration desk to complete your registration packet.
• If necessary, deductibles or co-payments will be collected at this time.
• After registration, you will be directed to the surgical area.

Pre-Op Area

During Pre-Op

• Go through the patient verification process
• Take tests for allergies, vital signs, labs (if indicated), blood glucose (if diabetic), urine pregnancy test (if female of child-bearing age), and possible drug screen
• Change into a hospital gown, review medications and medical/surgical history, and review or sign surgical consent
• Have your IV started with any medications your surgeon ordered. (Small children generally do not get IVs in pre-op area)
• Visit with your surgeon to answer any last minute questions
• Visit with the anesthesia provider to discuss anesthesia, answer questions and sign consent
• Visit with your operating room nurse to review patient ID, procedure, allergies, etc.
• Your surgical site may require preparation

Visitors

• We welcome and encourage visitors, but we may need to limit how many are with you at one time, or ask visitors to take turns
• Parents of children having surgery will remain with them before and after surgery. You must remain in the building at all times during your child’s surgery.
• Small children cannot be left unattended in the surgical waiting area at any time. They are not allowed in the recovery area as a visitor.

After Surgery

Outpatient Surgery Patients

• Your surgeon may speak with your family in the waiting room or call them on the phone
• You will be taken to the recovery room until you awaken, then one family member will be allowed to be with you (usually one hour after arrival)
• Parents of children having surgery will be able to be in the recovery room
• The nurse will evaluate you, give you pain medications and discharge you home or to your room
• You should expect some pain after surgery, but we will make every effort to safely minimize your pain and keep you comfortable
• We use a pain scale of 0-10. 0=no pain and 10=severe pain.
• You will be given written discharge instructions when going home
• An adult (over age 18) must drive you home
• We recommend that a responsible adult be with you at home for the first 24 hours after outpatient surgery
• We may call you 24-48 hours after your surgery to see how you are doing

Inpatient Surgery Patients

All of the After Surgery list (above) will apply, plus:

• Pack a small suitcase with bathrobe, basic toiletries, and reading material. Please leave valuables at home.
• For your safety and well-being, please allow us to assist you when getting out of bed.