Pre-Surgery Instructions

Inpatient and Day Surgery Guidelines

Our surgical team looks forward to providing you with the best possible care. The following information will familiarize you with what to expect before, during and after your procedure. You can also read our Inpatient Surgery, Day Surgery at the Dolphin Surgery Center, and Day Surgery at 2 Pond Park in Hingham brochures.  You can download each of these brochures using Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have Acrobat, you can download it for free here.

Anesthesia

Your anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist play very important roles in your surgery. They will administer and monitor the anesthesia that will let you “sleep” during your operation, or “numb” certain parts of your body. Before surgery, a member of the anesthesia team will meet with you to determine the most appropriate type of anesthesia for you.

Your Surgical Checklist

Several Days Before

Avoid aspirin. Check with your surgeon’s office regarding how long you should avoid aspirin prior to your surgery.

Monitor how you are feeling. Any unexpected illness - such as fever, cough, sore throat, or sniffles - could postpone your surgery. Please let your doctor know if you are not feeling well up to the day before surgery.

The Day Before

Please do not drink alcohol in the 24 hours before surgery. It may interfere with your procedure.

For day surgery, arrange for someone else to drive, and arrange for a “recovery buddy.” 

The Night Before

Your stomach must be empty prior to surgery. If not, your appointment may be postponed or cancelled. It is very important that you follow these diet guidelines:

• No solid foods, gum,  hard candy, breath mints, or cough drops past midnight.
• Clear liquids allowed up to five hours prior to surgery. Examples include apple or cranberry juice, water, and coffee (without cream or milk).
• For infants: infant formula and other milks are allowed up to six hours prior to surgery. Breast milk is allowed up to four hours prior to surgery. 

The Day of Surgery

• Your physician will specify which medications you may take with only a sip of water. Any other medications you regularly take in the morning should be taken after surgery.
• Hair should be clean and freshly shampooed.
• Please do not use hair products (mousse, gels, conditioners, hairspray) the night before or day of surgery.
• Do not use perfumes, skin cream, lotion or after-shave.
• Do not use deodorant near the operative site.
• Do not shave the operative site.
• Remove make-up, nail polish, hair accessories, and contact lenses before leaving home.
• Remove all jewelry (including any body piercings) before leaving home.
• Bring a small overnight case with your robe, slippers, and toilet articles.
• Leave personal belongings at home. Please do not bring any valuables with you (i.e.wallet,  purse).  South Shore Hospital can not be responsible for loss.  However,  please bring your copayment, if due – check, cash, or credit card accepted.

After Day Surgery

Following your surgery, your condition will be closely monitored by our nurses. As your condition improves, you will be moved from a regular hospital bed into a recliner lounger where you can watch television, eat a snack, read, or just rest. Your recovery time will vary, according to the type of surgery.

After your surgery, one of our nurses will call you to check your progress. You may feel tired or weak for a few days, because some effects of anesthesia last up to 48 hours. Please don’t drive a car, operate heavy machinery, drink alcoholic beverages, engage in strenuous activities, or make any important decisions during this recovery time.

Recovery Room Guidelines

Recovery Room Visiting Guidelines for Day Surgery

We understand that waiting can be difficult. Our goal is to reunite family/care partner and patient as soon as possible. Most day surgical patients are awake and alert within the first hour of recovery. Once this occurs, a family member can join the patient until he/she meets the discharge criteria. If the patient requires a longer recovery, a family member can visit briefly, if the patient requests, and then return to the waiting area until the patient is awake and alert. Every effort will be made to include family when discharge instructions are given. Parents of children under 16 years of age will be brought into the recovery area to be with their child immediately after surgery. We appreciate your patience by keeping calls for nursing staff to a minimum so we can devote our time to your loved ones.

Inpatient Surgery Recovery Room Visiting Guidelines

We understand that waiting can be difficult. Our goal is to reunite family care partner and patient as soon as possible. The nurse in the recovery area will determine when it is appropriate for a brief visit, usually within the first 30 minutes of arrival to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). In an effort to maintain privacy and provide the best care to all patients in the PACU, we ask you to follow some simple guidelines:

• You must be escorted to the PACU by one of our staff.
• Please keep conversations to a minimum.
• Please keep focus on your loved one.
• Please limit your visit to five minutes.
• No beverages or food are allowed.
• Only two visitors are allowed at a time.
• Children under 12 years old are discouraged from visiting.

Parents of children under 16 years of age will be brought into the recovery area to be with their child immediately after surgery. We appreciate your patience by keeping calls for nursing staff to a minimum so we can devote our time to your loved ones.