Location: 4th Floor
Patient Care Director: Jane Smith
Nurse Manager: Joanna Schmidt
Putting patients first. Always.
We strive to deliver high-quality patient-focused care here at our facility and our pre- & post-operative teams are no exception. Our goal is to put patients first by bringing together physicians within a comprehensive system that delivers the highest quality of care.
While we are taking care of your loved one, this site is designed to answer frequently asked questions, provide education on the workflow in which our teams operate, and address your concerns.
We focus on the individual needs of patients and their loved ones. We serve them with dignity and respect, which are essential parts of the wellness and the healing process.
Above all else - your loved one’s safety is our priority.
This site explains and covers:
- Pre-op team workflow
- Post-op team workflow
- Common Concerns
- Navigating the Family Room
- Nurses in pre-op thoroughly assess patients. This includes:
- identification of patient, usually by birthday & medical record number
- pain assessment
- vital signs
- verification of surgical site
- intravenous access (or IV) is established
- Eventually the surgeon and anesthesiologist speak with the patient.
- The procedure is reviewed along with:
- risks and benefits
- surgical site is verified again
- mode of anesthesia is explained
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- When the patient and surgical team are ready, the patient will be brought to the operating room
- Pre-operative preparation can take anywhere from 30-to-60 minutes.
- When surgery is done, the patient is brought to the recovery room (also known as the post-anesthesia care unit or PACU).
- The role of the PACU nurse is to closely monitor the patient and their vital signs and help wake the patient safely.
- The PACU nurse will update you when the patient has arrived to the recovery room; however, the PACU will not have details as to how the procedure went - and more likely than not, the patient will still be asleep or under anesthesia.
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- PACU nurses may administer some medication to prevent infection or help control pain or nausea.
- Depending on the procedure and surgeon’s orders, as the patient wakes up the PACU nurse may encourage the patient to urinate in a bed pan and/or try some ice chips to see if they can tolerate oral intake.
How long is the procedure?
- Different procedures have different lengths of time. There are many factors that can affect how long a procedure will take; such factors can include but are not limited to a patient’s existing comorbidities and type and purpose of procedure. Some procedures are more complicated than others
Why haven’t I heard from the surgeon?
- Surgeons and the surgical team with which they work operate in a sterile field to protect the patient from infection. Because of this, the surgeon and surgical team are limited to what they can touch. They can be sterily prepped again, but that may take extra time thus delaying completion of the patient’s surgery.
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When will I get an update?
- Updates are delivered in timed intervals based on when the procedure started. Keep in mind that once in the OR there is one final safety check between the surgical team and the patient so the procedure does not start right away. Usually the first update is delivered by the projected end-time of the procedure, then again when the patient is stabilized in the recovery room.
Can I see my loved one?
- The best time to see your loved one is when they are awake from the anesthesia, stable, with discharge or inpatient transfer orders in place. By this time, there will likely be more information on how the procedure went as well as what to expect over the next few hours.
- Patient and family teaching will be more efficient and and interaction will be more meaningful when your loved one is more awake.
- To reduce risk of infection and promote patient safety, visitation is limited. We want to promote safety for all patients.
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We understand that waiting is hard and anxiety inducing. Our priority is always to your loved one and their safe recovery. The family waiting room has been provided for your comfort. There is complimentary coffee and tea, gender neutral restrooms and several TVs with their own remotes. There is a singular screen with colored rectangles and numbers - this screen will tell you where your loved one is.
Blue: extended care
Green: discharge orders processed
Red: patient just arrived to PACU
Yellow: patient still in OR
Pink: inpatient bed pending
Purple: patient awaiting transfer
We hope this mock website was helpful. Any and all pages can be adjusted based on your facility’s/unit’s needs. The final product can be shared as a URL or QRC as a digital mobile presentation (click here) or as a fully functional website seen here. PDFs with additional information can also be shared through here for the comfort and convenience of your clientele.
Virtually yours,
Lucille DeCastro
Included here is the link that will allow you to edit this presentation/mobile version to meet your clientele’s needs.
For your and your clientele’s convenience, a dynamic QR code has been made. Embedded is the mobile presentation version of this website.