Clothing and Personal Items
On the morning of your surgery, you should shower or bathe. Leave all money and valuables at home. Do not wear jewelry (body jewelry included) or makeup to the hospital. If you wear contact lenses, bring your container because you will be asked to remove them. If you have a wedding band, it can remain on your finger. A nurse will secure it with tape.
Wear loose fitting clothing to the hospital so that you can get your clothes over a bandage when you go home. For example, eye surgery patients should not wear pull-over shirts and knee surgery patients should not wear tight trousers or jeans.
Please WEAR your hearing aid and glasses and bring the appropriate cases. Dentures may be worn. You may or may not be asked to remove these personal items.
Ambulatory Care
Upon arrival to our Ambulatory Care Department, you will be greeted and given instructions and take a seat in our waiting room. You will then be escorted to your own room where your vital signs will be taken and you will be asked to change into a hospital gown. A Registered Nurse will then take a brief history and possibly be starting an intravenous depending on the surgery or procedure you have having. When it is time for your procedure, you may be given pre-operative medications and taken via stretcher to the Operating Room.
Operative Consent
You will be asked to sign several consents: Consent to Treat, Release of Insurance Information, Operative Permit, Anesthesia Consent and other applicable forms.
Surgical Holding Area
If your surgery is scheduled to be done in an operating room, you may be taken to the surgical holding area. The length of time you stay in this area may vary, but someone will always be near should you need assistance or want to ask a question. If not done in the Ambulatory Surgery holding area, the surgeon will mark your surgical site.
The Operating Room
The surgical team will consist of your surgeon, an anesthesiologist, a surgical technician, an RN circulator and other assistants as deemed necessary by your surgeon. The surgical team will be monitoring your heart and blood pressure throughout your operation. IV's provide a way to give fluids and/or medications directly into a vein. They also help speed up your recovery period.
During Your Surgery
During your surgery, your vital signs will be monitored. These include breathing, pulse rate, blood pressure, temperature and strength of your heart. We continually manage your entire environment and attend to your basic needs on a minute to minute basis.
Waiting Room
Our recently renovated and comfortable waiting room is located near the operating room. We offer television, telephone, free wi-fi access and recent reading materials for patients' love ones to use while they wait. Complementary coffee and tea is available in this room.
