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| Please note that the
following guidelines apply to most patients having surgery at Redding Medical Center, but
not all of the patients. These are general guidelines only. Specific conditions may
require specific needs. Please contact the pre-op nurse or anesthesiologist if you have
any questions.
If you are having your surgery at Doctors' Surgery Center, please Click Here.
Can I have food before the surgery ? We ask that all the patients not have any SOLID FOOD after the midnight before the surgery. If your surgery is planned for later on in the day, you may be allowed to have CLEAR LIQUIDS in the morning hours. Clear liquids are basically liquids where you can "see through" . Examples: Water, clear broth, black coffee. Please note that Orange juice, milk or coffee with cream are NOT clear liquids. The pre-op nurse or the anesthesiologist will inform you if you may have clear liquids. The reason we ask you not to have any SOLIDS after the midnight is because your planned surgery may be moved up and if you had any SOLIDS, we will have to wait for 6 to 8 hours. Can I take my medications before the surgery ? Generally speaking, you should take most of your medication as scheduled with a sip of water before the surgery. You need not take vitamins or similar medications. If you are diabetic, the pre-op nurse or anesthesiologist will instruct you about your diabetic medications. If you use inhalers for asthma or emphysema, you should continue them. Can I smoke prior to the surgery ? Please avoid smoking at least 24 hours prior to the surgery. This will allow more hemoglobin to be available to carry oxygen during the surgery and may increase the safety. Can I chew gum prior to the surgery ? No. Chewing a gum causes acid secretion in the stomach to increase and may compromise your safety. When should I come to the hospital for the planned surgery ? Generally speaking, you should arrive in the hospital about 2 to 3 hours prior to the planned surgery. If you need additional testing e.g. Echocardiogram, you may have to be there even earlier. The reason we ask you to be there 2 to 3 hours prior is for the time it takes to complete the admission, pre-op nurse's evaluation & medical history taking etc. Sometimes the surgery is moved up too. You will be informed of the time you need to be in the hospital. A few of the patients may be admitted to the hospital the night before the surgery as per their surgeon's request. If you are having your surgery at Doctors' Surgery Center, you need to arrive about 1 hour prior to the planned surgery. Should I bring my medications from home ? It is often a good idea for you to bring your medications with you to the hospital. The nursing staff can then see exactly what type medications and what dosages you require. If you need to stay a few days in the hospital, we will probably make a list of the medications you take and then send your own medications home with a family member. Our pharmacy will dispense the medications you need according to your physicians orders. It is a very good idea for you to keep a list of your current medications and dosages in a wallet or purse at all times. What else can I bring from home ? If you plan to be in the hospital for a few days, you may wish to bring a robe, slippers and reading materials. The hospital provides a gown, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, comb, mouthwash, razor etc. For safety reasons, the hospital does not permit home blow dryers, electric razors, that do not have 3 prong electrical plugs. Valuables are best left at home. It is not a good idea to bring money, credit cards, jewelry or expensive watches. If valuables are brought to the hospital, please check them in with the admitting clerk. They will be placed in the hospital safe until you are discharged. Can I drive myself home after the same day surgery ? You MUST have someone else drive you home. It is not advised to operate vehicles or machinery for 24 hours after surgery. Will I have an "I.V." before the surgery ? All patients receive an IV before surgery.
(Exception: Small children having minor surgery may not always have an IV for surgery.
This will be discussed before surgery with the parent or child's guardian.) Can I bring my friends and / or relatives with me ? It is advised to bring only your closest family members and friends with you to the hospital. It can be a very anxious time for both you and your family. Many visitors can cause increased anxiety. You may also require additional tests and preps before surgery and have virtually little time to visit. You will need some quiet time before and after surgery. Close family and friends are important for emotional support. They can also act as a liaison for you between your other family members and friends. In addition, after you are up and about, it is nice to have someone you know to talk with and walk with. We try to limit family and friend numbers to 3 - 4 at a time. For Critical Care Unit Patients the number is limited to 1 - 2 at one time. Visitors are not usually allowed in the Recovery Room. Is there a waiting area for them ? There is a waiting room outside the Operating Room/Recovery Room area. Due to construction, we have limited space which makes it necessary to limit the number of relatives and friends per patient. On busy days, more than 3 visitors per patient is discouraged in this particular waiting room. Any additional visitors are asked to wait in the lobby on the first floor. Will some one inform them of the progress or results ? We staff the OR waiting room with an Auxiliary member, Monday through Friday, 7am to 4pm. They will keep your family and friends posted on your progress. When your surgery is finished, your surgeon will go out to the waiting area to notify your family and friends. For confidential reasons, your surgeon will only relate information about your surgery with your approval. Please discuss this with your surgeon prior to hospital admission. When you leave the Recovery Room, the nurse will check for family and friends in the waiting room and notify them of your transport to a room. I am very nervous and/or anxious. Will I get something for that ? If you are nervous and/or anxious, medication will be ordered for you to help you relax before surgery. Be sure to communicate your feelings to your Preop Nurse or the anesthesiologist so we can provide appropriate services for you. Will I meet my Anesthesiologist before the surgery ? Certainly. Your anesthesiologist will wish to speak with you prior to your surgery. He/she will review your medical history with you and discuss the type of anesthesia that is best for you. Your anesthesiologist is most concerned about your welfare. Feel free to discuss any concerns you may have about your care. Will I meet my surgeon if I have some questions ? If you wish to speak to your surgeon prior to surgery, let your nurse know. He/she will make sure you get the opportunity to speak with your surgeon before surgery. What else besides an IV will I have before the surgery? Your anesthesiologist will discuss any other procedures that you may require before surgery. For major surgeries and for very sick or high risk patients, sometimes it is necessary to receive other monitoring devices. This may include an "Arterial Line" which is similar to an IV procedure only the catheter is placed into an artery instead of a vein. This arterial line can then be transduced to a monitor where your blood pressure will display continuously during and after your surgery. Depending on your surgery additional lines may be placed prior to surgery, for example, a central line or Swan-Ganz catheter. These IV's are normally placed in one of your neck veins. During insertion of these extra lines you normally will receive sedation. Can I wear my contact lenses ? It is best that you leave your contact lenses at home where they will be safe. At the time of surgery, you will be asked to remove them, so if you chose to wear you lenses to the hospital, please bring your lens case to store them in. Can I wear make-up ? or jewelry ? A small amount of make-up is acceptable. Eye make-up can smear and possibly irritate you eyes It is best to leave your jewelry at home. Please do not bring valuables to the hospital. If you have a piece of jewelry that has sentimental value, ie., a ring, you may wear it. However, to protect you and your ring, it will be taped to your finger during surgery. If you are having surgery on the extremity that has a ring' you will be asked to remove it. Should I bring my hearing-aides ? Absolutely. If we need to remove them for your surgery, we will keep them in a safe place and return them to you after surgery. We prefer that you wear your hearing aides for communication purposes. You can keep your dentures in right up until the time of surgery. For your protection, when having a general anesthetic, we will ask you to remove your dentures for the surgery and return them to you as you wish after surgery. If you are having a local or regional anesthetic, often times you are allowed to leave your dentures in place. |
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