Surgery

What to Expect

Before Surgery

Once your physician has scheduled your surgery, patients will be contacted by the admissions department to begin the pre-registration process. Approximately one week before surgery, patients will receive a phone call from one of our highly skilled pre-operative nurses. They will gather your medical and surgical history and get a list of your medications. All completed pre-operative testing, such as lab tests or EKG, will be reviewed. Patients will also be given instructions on what to do the day of surgery including when to arrive and where to report. The nurse will review what to expect both before surgery and after your procedure.

On the day of your surgery

Patients may have to arrive up to two hours before the surgery is scheduled. Once you have arrived, our team with check your vital signs and complete any follow up testing that may be required. You will change into a hospital gown and an IV will be started. We will update your medical history and prepare you for surgery.

Once prepped, patients again visit with the surgeon, anesthesia and operating room team. Once the surgery is verified with the surgical team, patients are connected to the monitoring systems, put under anesthesia and the surgery will be performed.

After surgery

After surgery, patients are moved to the recovery room. Patients here are monitored by our nursing team as anesthesia wears off and they go through phases of recovery. The Recovery room team will make sure patients are awake and alert, pain is being controlled, and their vital signs are stable.

Once patients meet the standards of care for the Recovery Room, they will be sent to either Phase II recovery and prepped for discharge or will be transferred to an acute care room if they need to be hospitalized.

Preparing for Surgery at Ashley Regional Medical Center

Important Phone Numbers

Surgery Scheduling: 435.789.3342 ext. 816

Pre-surgery Registration: 435.789.3342 ext. 236

Pre-Registration

Our pre-registration department will contact you prior to your surgery to schedule a time to review the personal information needed for registration. By completing this ahead of time, you will lessen the amount of time needed at registration on the day of your surgery.

Pre-Admission Testing

A pre-admission testing appointment may be schedule for you prior to your surgery. On the day of your pre-admission testing appointment, check in at our registration desk. Registration staff will finalize your registration, discuss financial responsibilities for your procedure(s), and assist you in completing the appropriate paperwork.

Please bring:

• Any advanced directives you may have (Examples: living will or Power of Attorney)
• Complete list of medications (prescription(s), herbs, vitamins and over-the-counter medication(s) including amounts taken and frequency. Feel free to bring in the bottle or take pictures of the labels
• Insurance card(s)
• List of current physicians/specialists with office numbers
• Photo ID card

Take your normal medications and eat normally unless otherwise instructed. Please allow 1-3 hours for your entire pre-admission testing process. Most appointments take about an hour-and-a-half.

A pre-admission testing nurse will review your medical and surgical history with you. If ordered by your surgeon or anesthesiologist, you will have:

• A chest x-ray
• An EKG if you have a cardiac history
• Lab work drawn

If you have had an EKG done in the last six months, please provide the physician's name and number to the nurse so that we get a copy of the results.

At the conclusion of your assessment, written instructions will be provided for your convenience and review.

Pre-Surgery Checklist

A few days before surgery:

• Prepare your house for a safe and comfortable recovery.
• Prepare for your hospitalization. (Follow the What to Bring Hospital checklist)

The night before surgery:

• Please refrain from tobacco use after midnight. Tobacco increases the amount of gastric secretions produced and could cause nausea or other complications during your procedure.
• Follow instructions provided in regard to eating and drinking.
• Your surgeon, and/or anesthesia/pre-op nurse, may instruct you to take certain medications with minimal water the morning of surgery. Do as instructed.
• Most importantly, please get plenty of rest.

Call 435.789.3342 to schedule your surgery