At the Hospital

When to Arrive, Where to Go

Please arrive at the hospital at your assigned time. Go directly to the Patient Access Department (Registration) in the hospital lobby on the ground floor. A Patient Access staff member will direct you where to go.

In the Surgical Center (3 West)/ Operating Room

Tell your nurse if you have any allergies, particularly to iodine (some skin cleansers used prior to surgery contains iodine).
A staff member will attach an ID bracelet to your arm and give you a hospital gown to put on. These are the only things you can wear to the operating room.
You will need to remove all jewelry, including wedding rings, and any dentures, partial plates, eyeglasses, contact lenses, wigs, and removable protheses, such as an artificial leg.
A nurse will take your vital signs (pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and temperature) and review your medical history.
An IV (intravenous tube) will be placed in a vein in your arm.
You will be helped onto a stretcher and a staff member will confirm your identity by your ID bracelet before you are transferred to the operating room (OR).
You will meet the anesthesia and the OR nursing teams. A staff member will help you onto a stretcher and confirm your identity by your ID bracelet before you are transported to the operating room.
The OR staff will be wearing uniforms, masks, and caps to protect you from infection.
Your arms and legs will be gently secured for your safety.
If you feel cold, ask for a blanket.
An anesthesiologist will be supervising your care the entire time you are under anesthesia
Important safety monitors such as a blood pressure cuff, ECG leads, and an oxygen monitor will be placed on you before you go to sleep.
Medications will be given through your IV to make you sleep; then a tube will be put in your throat to help you breathe.
Your skin will be scrubbed with a special antiseptic to clean the area and reduce the risk of infection. Some of these special soaps leave a colored residue, which will wash off.
When the procedure is over, you will be moved to the PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) or 3 West.
While you are in the operating room, your family may wait in one of our surgical waiting areas. Your physician will speak with them when surgery is completed.

During Your Stay

Following the procedure, you will be taken to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), which adjoins the Operating Room, or back to 3 West. Your condition will be monitored until you are stable. Recovery time varies for each person.

If you return to 3 West after surgery:

Two family members or friends may visit with you.
Children (under 18) are not permitted in the surgical preparation or recovery areas.
Some people do not require a bed, and receive care before and after their test or procedure in a recliner chair.
Following a brief recovery period, your doctor will discharge you into the care of a responsible adult. Your discharge and follow-up instructions will be reviewed. You will be given a copy of your discharge instructions and will have the chance to ask questions before you leave the hospital.
Please Note: Discharge may be delayed or hospital admission may be required, depending upon the procedure performed and your condition.

If you are admitted after surgery, please see our Admission Guide.