Our Services at South Bend

Surgical Services

Your surgery and after

At the surgery department you will be greeted by the nursing staff, and your nurse will begin preparing you for your surgery. The nurse will ask you to change into a hospital gown, will ask you questions, take your temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respirations and start an intravenous (IV) line if necessary. A family member/escort may stay with you during this time.

You may be given medication while here that will help you relax and may make you feel drowsy. Do not attempt to stand or walk after receiving this medication without the help of your nurse. The person who will administer your anesthesia/sedation will talk with you.

Anesthesia/sedation may be administered by an anesthesiologist, a certified registered nurse anesthetist or a registered nurse. There are three main types of anesthesia:

  1. General—you will be asleep during surgery.
  2. Regional—you remain awake and the nerves in the area of surgery are numbed, for example the arm, the shoulder or from the waist down.
  3. Local or local with sedation—only the specific surgical site is numbed. You may receive an intravenous sedative with this type of surgery.

Your surgery staff

Your surgery staff will take you to the operating room on a cart. At this time your family/escort will be asked to wait in the surgery lounge. They will be notified when your surgery is completed and the surgeon may talk with them. Once you have recovered and leave the recovery room (PACU) your family/escort may join you.

If you are being discharged to your home, the nurses will monitor you until you are fully awake, can stand and walk without feeling dizzy and are able to drink fluids. You may receive pain medication if you need it. Take the medication when you begin feeling any pain. Do not wait until the pain becomes severe or it will be difficult to get relief.

Speedy recovery

You can speed your recovery by remembering to:

  • Cough and breathly following your surgery. Exercising your lungs is a great way to prevent post-operative pneumonia and fevers.
  • Unless the doctor tells you otherwise, you should be out of bed the day of surgery. The day after your surgery you should take short walks around your home or in your room and the hallway. Moving speeds your recovery and helps your bowel routine to return to normal faster.
  • Advance food slowly from clear liquids, to full liquids, to your normal diet. Limit milk products and greasy foods the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery.

Your nurse will explain your surgeon’s discharge instructions to you and your family/escort and will give you a copy to take home. Be sure you understand the instructions and follow them at home.

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