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Follow These Tips:
- Make sure you get a good night's sleep.
- Bring a list of your current medications, including prescription, over-the-counter medications, herbals and vitamins. This list should include the medication name, dosage and how often you take your medication. Bring your medications as well.
- List all your known allergies and any reactions. List the name and telephone number of your primary care physician.
- Recommended clothing to bring includes a knee-length robe, nightshirts or gowns, pajama tops or tee shirts (pajama bottoms will not always fit over your bandage) and loose-fitting sweatpants or shorts to use while exercising in physical therapy.
- Bring casual, loose-fitting clothes for discharge.
- Bring personal care items: toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving equipment, etc.
- Bring books, magazines, crossword puzzles or something to occupy your time.
- Bring a list of special diets or needs while in the hospital.
- Follow the surgeon's instructions on when to discontinue food and drink before surgery. See Patient Surgery Guide. (Provide link to surgery site.)
- Do not wear nail polish, makeup or jewelry.
- Please bring a contact case if your wear contact lenses and an eyeglass case if you wear glasses.
- Do NOT bring cash, credit cards, jewelry or any other valuables.
- Call your surgeon if you have a change in your physical condition before surgery, such as a cold, fever, persistent cough or rash.
- If you take a daily medicine for a chronic condition, such as blood pressure medication, heart medication, etc., ask your surgeon for specific instructions about which medications, if any, you should take the morning of the surgery.
- If you are an insulin-dependent diabetic, ask your surgeon for specific instructions about insulin dosage, if any is to be taken the morning of the surgery.
- Discontinue use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin and herbal medications as instructed by your surgeon.
- We highly recommend you have live-in assistance for at least two weeks after your hospital stay. A healthy spouse, friend or family member can fill this role. If you do not have such assistance, your case manager will help you to make appropriate arrangements for follow-up care.
- Your surgeon schedules the date and time of your surgery. We ask that you arrive two hours before the scheduled surgery time to allow for admission, registration and any additional testing that might be required.
- The hospital purchases medications from a variety of drug companies, so the pills you take here may not look like the pills you take at home. Please ask the nurse if you have questions about the medications you are receiving.
- We are unable to use any medications brought from home. Please send home any medicines you may have brought with you. Only in rare circumstances will the hospital not have the medication you need in stock.
- If you have hearing or visual impairments or other special needs that we can help with, let us know. Signing and language interpreters, TTY's and other services are available.
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