General FAQ:
Q. How should I best prepare for surgery?
A. Being well-prepared for the day of your surgery can minimize any feelings of anxiety you may have. We've put together this handy checklist to help you get ready.
( ) Medications - Your physician will instruct you on which medications to take before your surgery at your pre-admission testing appointment.
( ) Meals and snacks - Unless your physician tells you otherwise, do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery. (This includes gum, mints and candy.)
( ) Do not drink any alcoholic beverage(s) for at least two days before your surgery.
( ) Please contact your physician if you have a cold, fever or rash prior to your surgery.
( ) Please leave all jewelry and valuables at home. If you are unable to remove your rings, please see a jeweler prior to surgery. All piercings (including tongue, lip, ears, etc.) must be removed prior to surgery.
( ) Please arrange for a relative or friend to drive you to Surgical Institute of Reading on the day of surgery.
( ) If you have young children, please arrange to have someone take care of them at home on the day of your surgery and while you are recovering from surgery.
( ) If you smoke, we encourage you to talk to your physician and discuss alternatives to smoking while you are a patient at our facility. Some suggestions are the Nicoderm® patch or gum, Chantix® (prescription only), or any other option you and your physician may suggest. The staff at Surgical Institute of Reading will work with whatever option you decide. Please bring your smoking alternative with you on the day of surgery.
( ) Please plan to leave any valuables at home.
Q. What can I expect on the day of my surgery?
A. On the morning of your surgery, please park near the main entrance of the hospital. Report to our receptionist, who will be more than happy to assist you with the check-in process and any other needs or requests.
After the registration process is complete, one of our nurses will take you to pre-operative area. You will be required to change into one of our patient gowns and remove all undergarments before surgery. A designated person is permitted to stay with you until the time of your surgery, and a member of our staff will advise and update him or her after your procedure is complete. At that time, your designated person may visit you in the recovery area.
Families and friends are encouraged to relax in our warm and friendly waiting area until your surgery is complete. Complimentary beverages are available for your family.
If you are scheduled to go home the same day of surgery, all discharge instructions will be reviewed with you at that time. Please feel free to ask questions if anything is unclear. If you will be staying overnight, you and your designated person will be escorted to one of our private hospital rooms on the in-patient unit.
Q. What can I expect if I'm an in-patient?
A. Our highly skilled nursing team will provide you with optimum care. We realize that each case is unique and we strive to provide close, personal attention at all times.
A private and individually decorated room will offer you the comfort and privacy necessary for a quick and successful recovery. Your room will have a television, recliner and sleeping accommodations for a family member or designated person for an overnight stay. Your meals will be professionally prepared by our dietary staff.
We believe the involvement of your family and friends leads to a more successful recovery process. We encourage your family to voice any questions or concerns they may have. Our staff will provide all necessary educational information to help caregivers learn how they can be a vital part of your recovery and bridge the gap between hospitalization and home care.
Q. What will I do when it's time to go home?
A. All instructions to be followed at home will be provided to you at discharge.
We encourage your designated person to be present while these specific instructions are reviewed.
At the time of your discharge, you will receive a questionnaire about the care you received at SIR.
We ask that you, your family member, or both complete the survey. Survey results are valuable to help us
improve our future care. We also encourage you to share any concerns or ideas with us while you are in
the hospital, so they can be addressed immediately.
A nurse from SIR will call you or your designated person the day after your discharge to evaluate your recovery.
Q. How can I make the most of my recovery?
A.Follow all of your discharge instructions, as well as these tips:
- Coughing and deep breathing exercises are encouraged after surgery to prevent lung problems or pneumonia. Please do this several times each hour after you wake up from surgery. You may want to hold a pillow against any abdominal incision for comfort.
- Moving your legs and walking after surgery promotes good circulation. Remember to change your position slowly and increase your activity as tolerated. If ordered, please continue to wear your anti-embolism stockings (teds) as instructed by your physician.
- Adequate nutrition and hydration are vital for good wound healing. Begin with liquids after surgery. If you are tolerating this well, advance to solid foods, beginning with light meals.
Q. I have an incision. What should I do to take care of it?
A. Please follow the doctor's specific instructions regarding your incision care. Also...
- Wash your hands before and after any incision care.
- Keep your incision clean and dry.
- You may have some oozing from your incision (a pink- to dark-red discharge is normal); however, please call your doctor if your drainage is bright red or if there is a lot of drainage.
- It is normal for your incision to be slightly red or swollen after surgery; however, please call your doctor if you have increased redness, swelling, pain or foul-smelling drainage.
Q. How do I know if I should call my doctor if something seems "not quite right"?
A. Call your physician if:
- You have a fever higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You have increased redness, swelling, pain or foul-smelling drainage from your incision.
- You have increased bleeding from your incision or if your incision opens. In this event, press a clean cloth lightly over the incision to control the bleeding.
- You have adverse side effects from your medication (including nausea and/or vomiting, or an allergic skin reaction).
If you cannot reach your physician and it is an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital with an emergency room.
Q. I'm nervous about the Swine Flu. What do I need to know?
A. It's understandable that you have concerns, considering the extensive media coverage about H1N1.
For the most up-to-date information about H1N1, vaccinations and seasonal flu, please visit these websites:
