Patient Guide 
Key Information for Your Stay

Be Prepared

Be Prepared

Safety Tips for Before and After Surgery

You can make surgical procedure and follow-up care as safe as possible. Here’s what you need to know.

Before Your Surgery

  • Bring a list of any questions you have about your surgery to your pre-surgical doctor’s visit.
  • Also bring a list of all the prescription, over-the-counter and herbal medications that you are currently taking or that you took until very recently. Review the list with your surgeon, and ask if there are any you should stop taking prior to your procedure.
  • Be sure your surgeon knows about any allergies you have to medications and foods.
  • Ask your surgeon whether you can eat or drink before your procedure, and if so, what kinds of food or drink and within how many hours of your surgery.
  • Ask your surgeon whether you should remove nail polish or temporary dental appliances (such as a bridge), if you can wear deodorant or body lotion, and if there are other preparations you need to make prior to surgery.
  • Find out if you will need therapy after your surgery, who will arrange for it and whether you can have therapy at home.

On the Day of Your Surgery

  • Shower or bathe and wash your hair. Don’t wear makeup or perfume. Be sure to follow any other pre-surgery instructions you were given.
  • Leave jewelry, money, credit cards and other valuables at home.
  • Allow yourself plenty of time for travel.
  • Once you arrive at the hospital, you will be given an Informed Consent form to sign. Read it carefully. Make sure everything on the form is correct. If you don’t understand something, ask questions before you sign the form.


Before Your Procedure Begins

  • Staff at the hospital should ask you the following questions more than once before your surgery:
  • your full name and date of birth
  • what kind of surgery you’re having
  • the part of your body that is being operated on
  • A health care professional will mark the spot on your body that is going to be operated on. Make sure he or she marks only the correct part. If he or she makes a mistake and has to make a new mark, be sure the old mark is completely cleaned off.
  • If you won’t be awake for the marking, be sure your relative or friend watches the marking.
  • Your surgical team will take a “time out” just before your procedure. This is done to make sure the team is doing the right surgery on the right body part of the right person.

After Your Surgery

  • Speak up about any pain you are having and ask for relief. Be specific about the intensity and location.
  • If you are given medications right after surgery, ask what they are and what they are for. Ask about side effects. If you are given a prescription for medications you must take while recovering, be sure you understand the instructions for the dosage, how frequently you need to take the medications and for how long.
  • If you are given IV (intravenous) fluids after surgery, ask what they are and what they are for. Be sure the fluid level is monitored.
  • Ask your surgeon if your activities need to be limited, and if so, for how long. Ask when you can resume work, exercise and travel.
  • Be sure to get instructions for post-surgical care in writing before you leave.

A Team Effort

Here’s how to work with your surgical team to get the best outcome:

  • Know the preparations you must make before your surgery.
  • Get to the hospital or surgical center early on the day of your surgery.
  • Review paperwork carefully before signing.
  • Make sure the proper part of your body is marked for surgery.
  • Get your post-surgical care instructions in writing before you leave.
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