• It’s important to get your body ready for surgery. Eat a healthy diet. Stay well hydrated. Be consistent with brushing your teeth and flossing. Please shower the night before and the day of your surgery.
• Testing may be requested (EKG, lab work, and/or chest x-ray) depending on your health history. Your physician may also order additional testing. Please have any tests completed as soon as possible.
• Your surgeon may request a medical and/or cardiac clearance prior to surgery.
• Please prepare to receive a call 1-2 days prior to surgery by a Preadmission Surgical Screening nurse to review your health history, medications, confirm arrival time, and review dietary restrictions prior surgery.
• It is important to let us know how you are feeling before surgery. Please let us know if you have a signs of illness such as a fever, wheezing, cough, vomiting, or diarrhea.

• Bring a list of your current medications. This list should include prescription and non-prescription medications as well as herbal and vitamin supplements. Please do not bring your medication bottles to the hospital.
• If you take medications regularly, you should check/confirm with your surgeon or primary doctor which medicines to take before surgery or hold due to surgery. Please hold all herbal and vitamin supplements one week prior to surgery.
• If you are diabetic, you will need special dosing instructions from your primary care physician on your insulin and/or oral medications in preparation for surgery. This can include injectables such as: Ozempic, Rybelsus, Seglatro, and Mounjaro.

• You should not eat or drink after midnight the night before your surgery, unless your doctor gives you specific instructions about when to stop eating or drinking. You may be instructed to take routine medications (blood pressure and heart medications) the morning of surgery. Take these medications with only a small sip of water.
• Please bring photo ID and insurance card. You may also bring your cell phone. If you wear dentures, hearing aids, or glasses, please bring container with your name for storage during surgery. Leave all other valuables and jewelry at home.
• Please wear loose fitting clothing.

If the plan is to go home after surgery, you are required to have a friend, family member, or caregiver drive you home. However, they do not need to wait in the hospital the entire time. You also need a responsible person to be with you at home to assist you if you need help.

• When you arrive at the hospital, you will be asked to check in at Registration. Please bring your insurance card and another form of identification. If you wear hearing aids, please leave them in. If you have a co-pay or deductible, please bring your appropriate form of payment. Please do not wear jewelry.
• To start your care a pre-op nurse will ask you questions about your health history and conduct an assessment. The nurse may start an IV (if necessary).
• Possible preps might be done to prevent infections and blood clots: CHG wipes and mouthwash, iodine nasal wipes, leg compression devices, hair clippings.
• You will talk to your operating room nurse who will be with you during surgery. You will also talk to your anesthesiologist and your surgeon prior to surgery. This is a good time to ask any remaining questions that you might have.
• You will then sign consents for surgery and anesthesia. The surgeon will mark the surgical site as a safety measure (if applicable).
• After your pre-op nurse has completed the admission process, your loved one may be brought back to sit at your bedside prior to your going to the operating room.

• You will wake up in the Recovery Room and have a nurse to assist and monitor you as you wake up.
• Let your nurse know if you have any pain and what the pain level is from zero (0) to ten (10). Zero being no pain to ten being the worst pain you have ever experienced. This will help your nurse determine the best treatment for pain.
• Let your nurse know if you have nausea, are feeling cold or hot, or feeling any other discomfort.
• When you meet discharge criteria, you will go to your hospital room, or go home as appropriate.
• You will be given your own special discharge instructions: such as how to increase your activity, when to shower, how to ease back in to eating, what complications symptoms to call the doctor for such as fever, uncontrolled vomiting/bleeding, etc., when to make a follow up visit with the doctor, when to take medications/pain medications. **NOTE: opioid pain medications cause constipation. Please take stool softeners with your pain medications.

Thank you for choosing Mission Hospital. It is our pleasure to serve you today. We are genuinely concerned about your health and comfort. Our Goal is to provide care to you with Excellence, Dignity and Compassion.

Please see below for links to the Providence Mission Hospital Patient Education Library. We invite you to explore our available health and wellness education for your specific surgery and beyond.

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