|
After surgery, you will be transported from the surgery room to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), where a nurse will be present at all times to monitor your blood pressure and heart rate. The nurse will also check your dressing and circulation. You will be encouraged to breathe deeply and cough to clear your lungs.
The nurses in PACU are specially trained to care for patients who are recovering from anesthesia. When you wake up, the nurse will be telling you where you are and that your surgery is all over. The drugs used in anesthesia may cause you to have blurry vision, a dry mouth, chills and some nausea. You may also have a sore throat if a tube was placed in your windpipe.
Depending on the type of anesthesia you received, your hip may be painful. The nurse will ask you if you are having pain or nausea. Medication is available to help make you more comfortable. As you wake up, you will be aware of the nurse checking your bandage and your blood pressure. You will be attached to a heart monitor and an oxygen level monitor. You will hear these monitors beep. You may also receive oxygen through clear plastic tubing in your nose.
It is not uncommon for patients to experience some difficulty urinating during the first few hours following surgery. For this reason, you may awaken with a catheter (a small tube to drain urine) in your bladder. In some cases, oxygen will be given in PACU.
Your hip will be covered with a thick dressing. A triangular splint, called an abduction pillow, will be placed between your legs. This helps to further secure the stability of the hip joint during the healing process. You will have an IV through which fluid, antibiotics and pain medicine will be given.
Your stay in PACU will be from one to three hours, depending on the type of anesthetic you had and your individual reaction to it. Visitors are not allowed in PACU. Once awake, you will be transferred to the hospital orthopaedic unit. Nurses will monitor your level of consciousness, vital signs, amount of drainage, circulation, positioning and comfort.
Your family will wait in the surgery waiting room until you leave PACU for your inpatient room. When you are released from PACU, surgery personnel will take you to your hospital room. After the nurse checks you in, your family may visit. |
