Check In / Reception Area
As a patient, you will be asked to check in early for your procedure. When you arrive at the Surgery Center, you will be greeted at the front desk by a clerical staff member. Upon arrival we will ask you to verify your demographic information, inform you of our financial policy and provide you with your privacy rights. At that time you, and anyone accompanying you, will be asked to wait briefly in our reception area until a nurse comes to escort you to pre-op. During your procedure, any guests or family members accompanying you are welcome to remain in our reception area during your procedure or, if they prefer, our receptionist can give them a time to return to the facility and pick you up.
Pre-Op
The nurse will welcome you in the reception area and bring you to a private room where you will change into a gown. We will go over your paperwork and have you sign the surgical consent form. The nurse will check your vital signs and start an IV for surgery. The anesthesiologist will come in and speak with you privately before surgery.
OR
Let our friendly staff make your visit as pleasant as possible. The Operating Room nurse will walk you back to the OR. If you came in on crutches, you will ride in a chair. The OR nurses and anesthesiologist will help you lie down on the operating bed and wrap you in a warm, thick blanket. We will then place you on monitors in order to watch your vital signs: a blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter on your index finger and three heart electrodes (small, square sticky patches) on each shoulder and one on your chest. The recovery room nurses will use these to continue observing your vital signs after surgery. Once these monitors are on, you will have an oxygen mask to breathe into for a few seconds before you go off to sleep. If you are having regional anesthesia (a “block”) instead of going to sleep, that will be placed in the OR by the anesthesiologist.
Phase1 – Recovery
You will be brought to Phase 1 Recovery from surgery on a stretcher. There will be a recovery nurse waiting there for you. In Phase I our nursing staff will monitor your vital signs and place you on oxygen. This is where you will remain until you are fully awake.
Phase 2 – Recovery
If you are an endoscopy patient, you will come here directly after your surgery. If you are a surgical patient, you will be brought here after your visit to Phase 1 Recovery. Our nursing staff will continue to monitor your vital signs and you can start to drink clear liquids. Visitors are now welcome to join you in this area. When you feel ready to leave our facility, we will review discharge instructions with you and your guests or family members. We want to be sure that all your questions are answered and that you have the information and instructions needed to make a successful recovery.
