Unless your doctor tells you differently, please follow these instructions:
Take your morning prescription medications for blood pressure, heart, lung, kidney or liver conditions, pain medication, or antibiotics with a small amount of water.
Follow your surgeon's instructions regarding any diabetes medications, blood thinners, aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications, and/or herbal supplements that you currently take.
Bring with you a list of the names and doses of all medications you currently take.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight. EXCEPTION: If your surgery is scheduled for the afternoon, you may drink clear liquids (water, black coffee, tea, clear juice) or eat light foods (dry toast or crackers) up until 6 hours before arriving at the hospital.
Please shower or bathe using an antiseptic cleanser, if recommended by your doctor.
Wear loose, non-binding, comfortable clothing. Remember, you may receive a bandage or cast during surgery, and the clothing needs to fit comfortably over it.
If you wear contact lenses, please bring your case and solution. You may be asked to remove your lenses before you go to surgery.
Bring any reading glasses, hearing aids and mobility devices, such as canes and walkers, that you may need to stand or move short distances. Wheelchairs are available for your use while you are in the hospital.
Bring any special medical devices you may need, such as inhalers or sleep apnea machines.
Bring your insurance information with you.
Bring some money or a credit card if you do not get your post-operative prescriptions filled before you come to the hospital.
Please do NOT bring valuables, jewelry or watches.
Step 8: When you come to the hospital:
You will need to arrive at the hospital well before your scheduled surgery time. This allows the nursing staff, your anesthesiologist and your surgeon to better prepare you for your surgical experience.
Once you are registered at the Admitting desk, the nursing staff will begin preparing you for surgery. You may be given additional paperwork to complete and/or tests at this time.
Your anesthesiologist will meet with you before surgery. He or she will answer your questions, review your options for anesthesia and, working together with you and your surgeon, plan your anesthesia care. If you are not a Kaiser patient, you may click here to learn more about your anesthesia care. If you are a Kaiser patient, you may click here to learn about anesthesia care for Kaiser patients.
A family member or friend may stay with you until it is time for you to go to surgery.
Step 9: During surgery
Your family can wait for you in the surgery waiting area. They may be given a pager so that the waiting area staff can notify them when your surgery is finished.
If your family plans to leave the hospital while you are in surgery, please have them tell your nurse and leave a number where they can be reached.
