- Take a shower the night before and the morning of surgery. Follow these simple steps:
- Wash your hair first with any shampoo.
- Wash all of your body using a liquid antibacterial soap and a clean washcloth for each shower.
- Rinse well to remove all soap.
- Dry your body with a clean towel.
- Do not use lotion, cream or powder.
- Do not shave or clip the area where the surgery will be done unless your physician directs you to do so.
- On the day of your procedure make sure you, your family and any other caregivers wash hands frequently while at the facility and at home following your surgery. Also, do not hesitate to ask members of your health care team at the facility if they have washed their hands.
- Be sure to follow all instructions provided by your health care team regarding the care and cleaning of your surgical site as well as the use of post-operative medications and bandages.
- For your comfort, we encourage you to wear clothing that can easily be removed and stored. Please avoid wearing any jewelry, watches, piercings, nail polish and cosmetics, and leave contact lenses at home or bring your lens case with you.
- Please bring photo identification and your insurance card(s). Our staff will verify and make copies when you check-in on the day of your surgery. Also bring any payment that is your responsibility (e.g., co-payment or deductible).
- Be sure to bring any medications that you may need during your stay at the facility (e.g., inhaler or insulin).
- Please bring a list of all medications-prescription, over-the-counter, herbal- you are currently taking.
Your pain management is very important to us. We will assess your level of pain from the time of admission until you receive our post-operative call at home. During your stay at the facility, you will be repeatedly asked to rate your pain using a numerical scale (1-10), or for children, the "Faces Pain Scale" (shown below).
We often use a combination of different techniques to help make you comfortable: oral medications, intravenous medications, nerve blocks, injection of local anesthetic during the surgery, etc.
Prior to the surgery, your pain management should be discussed with both your anesthesiologist and surgeon. Please feel free to bring up any concerns or fears you may have.
Remember that information on pain management gives you appropriate expectations and a smoother, more comfortable recovery.
You should take a very active role in all discussions with your physician, your anesthesia provider and our staff regarding the identification of your procedure and the correct surgical site.
Since your safety is our primary concern, the entire health care team follows rigorous guidelines regarding site identification and procedure confirmation.
National Patient Safety Goals have been developed which require your involvement too. You will be asked numerous times to confirm both the procedure you are having and the surgical site.
In most cases, your surgeon will mark the site prior to your procedure.
The amount of recovery time varies from patient to patient. After your procedure, a nurse will monitor your vital signs and make sure you are alert and stable. You will be sent home as soon as your health care team feels it is safe to discharge you from the facility. Although the times vary, most patients are discharged 1 to 2 hours after surgery.
In rare circumstances, an unexpected admission to a hospital is necessary after surgery. Your physician or anesthesiologist may determine that you need to be transferred to West Valley Medical Center for additional post-operative care.