Before Your Surgery

The following guidelines will help prepare you for your surgery and avoid delays or possible cancellations:

 

  1. Do not wear any makeup, fingernail polish and remove all body piercings.
  2. Do not bring jewelry, money or valuables. Palos SurgiCenter is not responsible for lost personal items.
  3. Do not drink any alcohol for 24 hours before your surgery.
  4. Do not eat or drink anything after 12:00AM before your surgery.
  5. Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing such as a jogging suit.
  6. Bring a list with you of the medications you take including over-the-counter and herbal.
  7. Arrange for someone 18 years or older to drive you home and spend the first night after surgery with you.
  8. Do not wear contact lenses. Wear glasses if needed.
  9. A consent form must be signed before the surgical procedure begins. For patients under 18 years of age, a parent or legal guardian (paper work is required) must be present to sign the form.
  10. The patient is responsible for informing staff of any pertinent information, including change in medication.
  11. Females of child-bearing age will be required to give a urine sample upon admission to the admitting area.
  12. For details about your surgery please remember to call the SurgiCenter by 4:00 pm the day before surgery if you have not already talked to a member to the SurgiCenter staff. Please call by 4:00 pm Friday if our surgery is scheduled for Monday.

Going home after surgery

  1. After your surgery, you will go to the recovery room for a while before going home.
  2.  Your doctor will have specific instructions about your recovery and the nurse will review them with you and your family members before you leave the Center. Recovery time varies with different surgical procedures.
  3. You will not be permitted to leave the Surgery Center alone if you have had a general anesthetic, regional anesthetic,  sedative, or certain local anesthetic. A responsible adult 18 years of age or older must drive you home.
  4. For your comfort and safety, do not operate machinery or drink alcoholic beverages for 24 hours following your surgery.
  5. A nurse from the SurgiCenter will call you the day after your surgery to answer any questions you have following surgery. If your surgery is on Friday expect a call on Monday.

Anesthesia

Your safety is the anesthesiologist’s primary concern. Soon after you arrive at the SurgiCenter an anesthesiologist will talk with you, if services are required. It is important for you to report any changes in your health or physical condition that may have occurred since you visited with your physician.

 

Advance Directive

If you have an Advance Directive please bring a copy to the Surgicenter to be placed in your chart. Due to the elective nature of procedures done at our facility, it has been determined that any existing Advance Directive will not be followed while you are a patient at the Palos Surgicenter. We will forward your Advance Directives with your medical records in the event that you are transferred to a hospital.