What to Expect Before, During, and After Surgery

Last month, in our blog “The More You Know About Your Surgical Procedure, the More at Peace You Can Be,” we talked about how most people feel a bit uneasy leading up to a surgical procedure, and introduced the studied opinion that gathering information about the surgery beforehand helps alleviate anxiety.

In this blog, we continue to share information that might help set patients’ minds at ease as they prepare for surgical procedures.

Patient Prep for Surgery: Clean the Body, Clean Out the Body

Of course, each patient’s preparation for surgery will be dictated by their surgery team or doctor, because the particular prep depends on the particular surgery or procedure. However, it’s typical for a patient to be given a regimen on how to clean the body (or surgery area) and how to clean out the body (not always a pleasant experience, but necessary for an efficient surgery).

In fact, Stanford Medicine offers these insights about general surgery preparation. Most patients will need to do some or all of the following:

• Undergo various blood tests, X-rays, electrocardiograms, or other protocols necessary for surgery.
• Avoid drinking and eating for a certain period of time before surgery.
• If you are currently taking medications, ask your doctor which ones
  you should continue to take and which (if any) you should stop taking
  prior to surgery.
• Clean and possibly shave the area to be operated on (you might also
  be given a specific soap to use)
• Follow your physician’s orders on how to empty the bowels prior to
  surgery.

On the day of the procedure, most patients are asked to not wear makeup, nail polish, eye contacts, or any pieces of jewelry. You should advise the medical staff of dentures, internal electric or magnetic devices/items/shrapnel, or any prosthetic devices you may have.

Lastly, wear loose-fitting clothes and comfortable footwear; bring photo identification, your social security number, insurance information, and your Medicare/Medicaid card; and be sure to pack anything specific your medical team has requested you bring with you.

What to Expect When the Nurse “Takes You Back”

If you’ve had surgery before, some of this next information might be familiar to you. However, people who are preparing for surgery for the first time might gain comfort from knowing what is likely to be asked of them once they’ve been taken from the waiting room—and when, and why.

Before patients proceed to the operating room (OR), they are asked to change into a surgical “gown.” This apparel allows the surgeon to have access to the surgery site. The nurse or tech will remind you to remove personal items such as jewelry, glasses or contact lenses, hearing aids, or a wig if you have one. For safekeeping, these items are stowed in a bag and left with your companion, or they go with you via your stretcher/procedure chair.

A nurse will check your vitals, including heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, and pulse. The surgeon might mark the spot on your body where the procedure will be done. A nurse will insert an intravenous (IV) line into your arm, so you can receive fluids and/or medicine directly into your veins during the procedure.

Your vitals and overall health condition will be tracked and monitored throughout the surgery. To do this, your surgical team will probably use:

• A clip on your finger to monitor your oxygen levels
• A cuff on your arm to know your blood pressure at all times
• Small pads stuck on your chest to measure your heart rate

These devices will be secured before you are sedated, so you will see and hear everything that’s going on as it happens.

When it’s time for your surgery, you will be wheeled into the operating room on a stretcher of some kind. Immediately prior to this or immediately after, the anesthesiologist will administer the sedation or narcotic appropriate for the procedure.

Then, after what will seem like seconds or minutes, you’ll wake up in a recovery room. A nurse will check your heart rate, breathing, and the bandaged incision site.

You’ll stay in the recovery room until you’re fully awake and all your vitals are stable. How much time you spend in the recovery room depends on the kind of surgery you had.

Also depending on the type of operation, you’ll either be admitted to a hospital room for further recovery time, or you will be discharged from the hospital and able to go home.

What About the Pain? Surgical Pain Is My Biggest Fear

Remember, one of the specialists on your surgical team is an anesthesiologist, a highly trained doctor who specializes in pain management. Rest assured, they receive the same amount of education as other doctors, and their training includes four years of anesthesiology residency, as well as additional fellowship training in certain subspecialties.

According to an article from UVA Health, here are some facts about anesthesia that might answer your most pressing questions on the topic.

There are four main types of anesthesia—

• General anesthesia: Used for major operations; causes loss of consciousness, or puts you to sleep and makes you unable to move
• Sedation: Often used for minimally invasive surgery; blocks pain and causes sleepiness but doesn’t put you to sleep
• Regional anesthesia: Such as an epidural or a nerve block; numbs a large part of the body while you remain awake
• Local anesthesia: Numbs just a small area of your body for minor procedures, such as getting stitches or having a mole removed

How long does the anesthesia last?

• IV pain medication can last up to 8 hours
• A nerve block can help manage pain for 12 to 24 hours
• Spinal blocks can alleviate pain for 24 to 48 hours
• Epidurals are the longest-lasting, easing pain for up to 4 to 5 days

While there are steps and medications you can take to help soothe anxiety prior to surgery, there are also actions and medications you can take post-surgery to manage any pain or discomfort.

One thing that helps patients (and surgeons!) before, during, and after surgery is a functional procedure chair—something patients can be safely transported in, operated on while optimally positioned in, and comfortably resting in during the recovery stage. No more moving patients around from chair to chair to table to chair during such an important time.

For surgical procedures, Champion has your back!

Studies show that the month of March can be a very busy time for emergency rooms around the nation. It’s important for providers and facilities to be prepared for the influx of patients, which can result in increased stress on providers and staff.

The innovative procedure chairs in our TMM Collection optimize patient flow from admission to discharge, all on a single surface. This can help to minimize risk, maximize space, and enhance productivity.

Currently, there are just over 6,000 hospitals in the United States. In the past year, there were just over 34 million hospital admissions.
If you are due for new chairs and haven’t already placed an order, be sure to do so before the end of the calendar year to have them in place for March (based on our twelve-week max lead time).

Want to learn more? A Champion team member would be happy to help you evaluate any of our products for your facility.

Request a Demo