Surgery & medical procedures

Preparing on the day before your surgery helps ensure that everything goes smoothly

We recommend the following tips

• Do not eat or drink anything – including water, food, chewing gum or candy – starting at midnight the night before your surgery. Please keep in mind that fasting requirements may vary based on the type and time of your surgery, as well as your medical history, so be sure to discuss specifics with your surgeon or preoperative nurse.
• Arrange for an adult to take you home after surgery. You will not be permitted to drive yourself, use public transportation or take a taxi alone. In addition, ambulatory or same-day surgery patients must have someone stay with them for 12 hours after discharge. If proper arrangements are not made, your procedure will be cancelled.
• Call your surgeon if you have a rash, fever, cold, cough or wheeze, or you are feeling ill.
• Create a list of your current medications, including the name, dose, and how often you take it. 
• Ask your surgeon or pre-op nurse if you should cease taking any of these medications prior to surgery. Do not stop any medications without being instructed to do so by a member of your health care team. Medications taken before the day of surgery can usually be done so with an
  ounce of water.
• Call your doctor's office the afternoon before your surgery to confirm what time you are to arrive at the hospital and make sure you know how to get to the surgery center.

Steps you should take on the day of your surgery that will make your experience a more positive one

Before going to the surgery center

• Take a shower using an antibacterial soap (or the special soap you were given)
• You may brush your teeth or rinse your mouth, but do not swallow water
• Follow the medication instructions given to you by your surgeon and/or pre-operative nurse
• Do not wear makeup, mascara, skin creams, lotions, nail polish or metal hairpins
• Plan to arrive on time, leaving enough time for parking
• Menstruating women should not use tampons
• Wear comfortable clothing
• Remove all jewelry and leave it at home
• Do not bring any valuables to the hospital
• Arrive on schedule to ensure there is enough time for surgical preparation

What to bring on the day of surgery

• Glasses and an eyeglass case, if needed (remove contact lenses and leave them at home)
• Form of identification (driver's license) and insurance cards
• List of medications, including name, dosage and frequency
• Copy of your advanced directive or living will
• Assistive devices such as hearing aids, crutches, canes, braces, nasal C-Pap (bi-pap) machines, etc.
• Any X-ray films or medical information you may have at home pertaining to this surgery

If you pack an overnight bag, leave it in the car until your surgery is completed. A family member or friend can bring it to your room after you have arrived there.

What to expect when you arrive for surgery

 When you arrive for surgery at an Atlantic Health System location, you can expect the following:

• During a short registration process, an armband will be placed on your wrist.
• You will then be escorted to the “holding area,” where you will change into a hospital gown and remove any dentures, hearing aids and eyeglasses.
• A pre-operative (pre-op) nurse will complete your health history and assessment, provide pre- and post-op instructions, start an intravenous (IV) line (a small catheter in your hand or arm that will provide access to your circulatory system for medications), and oversee any additional preparation your surgeon has requested.
• Once your IV line has been started, your family may join you in the holding area.

A nurse will then escort you on a stretcher into the operating room (OR), where you will meet the anesthesiology specialist and the OR nurse who will be caring for you.

What to expect post-surgery

Whether you are having same day or inpatient surgery at an Atlantic Health location, after the procedure is completed, you will be transferred to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) – sometimes called “the recovery room.” During this time, you can expect the following:

• Specially-trained nurses will closely monitor your heartbeat, blood pressure and breathing with the same equipment used in the operating room.
• Oxygen will be administered through a mask or nasal cannula (small prongs resting at the edge of your nostrils).
• To assist circulation, elastic stockings and/or sequential compression devices may be on your legs.
• Our staff will check the dressing over your incision frequently.
• Depending on your surgery, you may have special drainage tubes that collect either urine or blood; these will be removed at a later time.
• If you needed a special breathing tube while under anesthesia, you may wake with a mild sore throat, but this will subside quickly.
• You will remain in the PACU until you are awake and vital signs are normal; this can take from one to a few hours.

Visitation in the PACU

To ensure privacy and well-being, visitation in the PACU is not encouraged after inpatient surgery, but period updates will be provided to families. Visitors must be aged 18 years or older. 

For same-day-surgeries, visitation is restricted during the first stage of recovery– after which we will unite you with your family.

Same Day Surgeries

Before leaving the PACU, your physician or health care provider will give you specific instructions on how to best care for yourself, which you should follow closely to maximize your recovery.

Remember that you must have a responsible adult take you home. You will not be permitted to drive yourself, use public transportation or take a car service alone.

Once you return home, anesthesia may still be in your system and may temporarily impair your ability to function normally. For 24 hours after your operation, you should not drive a motor vehicle or operate machinery, drink alcoholic beverages, make any important decisions, or be alone.

Inpatient Surgeries

For those patients who require a hospital stay after surgery, you will be transferred to a patient room after your time in the PACU. During your hospital
stay, your health care team will discuss your treatment and recovery plan with you.

Patients role in recovery

Whether you’ve had a minor procedure or a major reconstructive surgery at an Atlantic Health location, you play a vital role in the recovery process. Properly managing pain and nausea, clearing your airways, exercising and eating right are all important steps that will get you back to your daily life faster.

Pain management

Pain can interfere with your recovery, so it’s important that it be kept at a tolerable level. Inform your care team where, when and how much it hurts. We use a 0-to-10-point scale (0 being no pain and 10 the worst pain you’ve experience) to help us assess how much pain you are experiencing and how well medications or other techniques are working at managing it.

Nausea

It is common for patients to feel nauseous from some of the medications used while in surgery. Let your nurse know as soon as you feel even the slightest amount of queasiness, and he or she will give you medication to ease the symptoms.

Coughing and deep breathing

Clearing your lungs and can prevent serious respiratory illnesses, like pneumonia. You may be given a breathing tool called an incentive spirometer, which will help you take deep breaths. When coughing, be sure to hold a pillow to the surgical area if possible.

Movement and exercise

Turning your body and moving your legs and arms (when your surgeon gives you permission) will aid in blood flow and bodily functions. A member of our staff will instruct you on these simple exercises.

Healthy eating

When your care team gives you permission to start eating, our care team will help you slowly ease back into a normal diet. You may be visited by a dietitian or you may request one.