Surgery Service

• Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your procedure.
• Do not smoke, use chewing tobacco, chewing gum, breath mints or cough drops the night before surgery.
• Please follow your provider's instructions on what medications to take.
• Brushing your teeth or gargling is permitted.

• Don't bring your medication, bring a list; any medications you bring will be sent to pharmacy and mailed back to your home.
• Do not bring valuables, jewelry, or money over $20.00 to the hospital—we cannot be responsible for your belongings.
• Bring your VA or photo ID to pick up your prescriptions.

• A nurse will help you get ready for your surgery and the anesthesia doctor will talk to you about the medicines they will use during the surgery. A member of the anesthesia team will insert an IV tube into a vein in your arm for you to receive medicine during the procedure.
• Following your surgery, you will go to the post-anesthesia care unit or recovery room to wake up. The nurses will monitor your blood pressure, heart rate, surgery site and comfort level.  Once you are completely awake, with no nausea and pain is under control, you will be moved to your own room on a nursing floor or back to the Same Day Procedure Unit for discharge to home.

• At the conclusion of your surgery, the surgeon may go to the waiting room to give your family member an update on your progress. Your procedure may be over, but additional time is needed—sometimes up to 30 minutes—for the anesthesia staff to safely move you to the recovery room.
• Once you are moved to the Recovery Room, your family member will be notified. No visitors will be allowed in the Recovery Room. 
• If you are being admitted, the recovery room nurse will allow you to visit your family or support person during transit to the your hospital room.

• No family or support person will be able to wait in the Same Day Surgery area with the patient. A nurse will obtain support person’s phone number and call them after surgery.
• Please be patient.  The time involved for surgical procedures is unique to each patient.  Safety for each surgery is our main concern.
• The staff will try to keep you informed of any delays.  If you have concerns, feel free to contact any staff for an update.

Due to the sedation medication you received, you may experience lightheadedness, dizziness or sleepiness following your procedure for up to 24 hours. During this timeframe:

• Do not stay alone. Be sure to have another family member or responsible adult stay with you.
• Do not operate machinery or perform heavy lifting.
• Do not drive any motorized vehicle.
• Do not drink any alcoholic beverages.
• Do not make important personal or business decisions, or sign any legal documents.

Following your surgery, it is important that you rest and follow the instructions provided on your discharge paperwork.

• You will receive a phone call within 24-96 hours from the VA staff. You will be asked brief questions about your recovery so far, and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have at that time. We thank you for your time and honesty.
• Call your case manager, primary care, or the response center if you show signs of infection—redness or heat at the surgical site, fever, swelling, or non-clear drainage.
• Eating bland, non-spicy foods is recommended.  Drink plenty of fluids, and avoid alcohol for the first 24 hours after surgery to prevent nausea and  help with a full recovery.
• You may have a sore throat.  This is caused by having a tube placed there to help you breathe during surgery.  This will clear in a few days.  Drinking clear liquids will help soothe this.