PATIENT INFORMATION

PREPARING FOR SURGERY

Mercy Medical Center's staff is committed to your comfort and safety. To put you at ease and address your concerns prior to your surgery, please continue reading. For more information on what to expect throughout your stay, an appointment can be set with the pre-admission nurse prior to surgery. Please call 677-6554 to schedule an appointment.

PREPARING FOR THE DAY OF SURGERY:
Inform your physician of any treatment you are currently using such as herbal medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and/or prescription medications or over-the-counter medications. If you are currently taking any medications, please consult your physician about what medications you may take before surgery. Please do not take aspirin, ibuprofen, ginkgo biloba, feverfew, garlic, ginger, ginseng, or vitamin E for two weeks prior to surgery.

If you are having outpatient surgery, please arrange for someone to transport you to and from the hospital. Remember, you may not drive for 24 hours if you have been given sedation or anesthesia. It is important to drink plenty of fluids, especially water, the day before your surgery, unless your doctor has advised against it. Please do not eat or drink anything (including water, gum, or breath mints) after midnight the night before surgery unless otherwise instructed by your physician. Plan to arrive at the hospital at least one hour before the scheduled time for your surgery so that you may be adequately prepared.

THE DAY OF SURGERY:
Upon arrival, check in with Admissions located at the hospital main entrance. A volunteer will escort you to the Surgical Floor waiting area, then to the pre-operative area, where a nurse will greet you. You will be asked to remove your clothing (including underwear and socks) and put on a hospital gown. You will also be asked to remove any jewelry and/or body piercings. Be sure to go to the restroom before going into the operating room.

An intravenous line for fluids and medications will be started. Depending on the type of surgery, you may have the operative site shaved. After you are prepared for surgery, you may have one or two visitors in the pre-op area until time for your procedure. Your anesthesiologist will visit you in the pre-op area to explain the procedure and the plan for sedation and/or general anesthesia. You may receive relaxing and/or pain medication that will make you drowsy; it may also make your mouth dry. Your nurse will then take you to the operating room and direct your visitors to the waiting area. Your physician will call or visit your family in the waiting area following your surgery.

ANESTHESIA:
The type of anesthesia you will receive will be based on your needs as well as the type of procedure you are having. Types of anesthesia:

• General Anesthesia - You will receive medicine that will make you unconscious and unable to feel pain.
• MAC Anesthesia - "MAC" stands for monitored anesthesia care. Local or regional anesthesia will be used so that the area of surgery is numb. You will also be given medicine through the intravenous line (IV) that will make you calm, very drowsy, and comfortable during the procedure.
• Regional Anesthesia - This is a method of numbing an area of the body by injecting medicine near a nerve. You will also be given intravenous (IV) medicine that will make you calm and drowsy. Examples of regional anesthesia include epidural and spinal anesthesia, and arm blocks.
• Local Anesthesia - The surgeon will inject medicine that will temporarily numb the surgical area.

PACU:
After your surgery you will go to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). PACU is a special unit where patients recovering from anesthesia are closely monitored for any adverse reactions. Once you are fully recovered from anesthesia, you will be transferred to the appropriate patient care unit. If you are an outpatient, you will return to Day Surgery. The Day Surgery nurse will monitor your vital signs, check your dressing, offer you food or something to drink if appropriate, offer you pain medication if needed, and assist you to the restroom. Your visitors may join you in Day Surgery during this time. If your surgeon has written a prescription for you to take home, your nurse may telephone the order to your pharmacy. When your condition is stable, your nurse will go over your physician's discharge instructions with you and discharge you to your home with a responsible adult.

PAIN MANAGEMENT AFTER SURGERY:
Keeping you comfortable is an important part of your recovery. A variety of methods may be used to relieve your discomfort after surgery. Pain medication may be given through the IV line or as a pill. Your nurse will instruct you on ways to position your body that may be helpful.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
If you have any questions concerning financial arrangements, please contact your patient account representative at 673-0611 ext. 2307 or ext. 3537.

If you have any questions, please call our pre-admissions nurse at 677-6554.