By Pam Scott
Patient Care Services Manager
If you or a loved one is coming to the University of Maryland Medical Center for surgery or an endoscopic procedure, you may have questions about what to expect. Here are some answers that may help put you at ease.
Several days before surgery, most patients are referred to the PREP Center for a thorough check-up, which includes taking your vital signs, collecting bloodwork and any additional tests that may be needed to ensure you are healthy enough for the procedure and also for anesthesia. We encourage patients to come to the Medical Center for their PREP work so we can be sure we have all your medical records easily accessible.
The day before your operation or procedure, you will receive a phone call letting you know where and when to come to the hospital. This is important information that you should write down so you remember the exact details.
On the day of your procedure, you will check in at the Medical Center. You will then change your clothes and prepare for what comes next. This can include placing an IV or other tests just prior to the procedure. Typically one family member can wait with you. Other friends and family will be asked to go to a waiting area.
Before you are brought into the operating room, you will meet your OR nurse and the anesthesia team. Often patients are given a sedative to help relax and then they are taken into the OR. Many people never remember being taken into the OR and often just recall waking up in recovery.
In most cases, following the procedure, the physician will meet with family members to discuss how the case went. Also, during long surgeries, families are typically given updates from the OR.
When you wake up in recovery after surgery, our top priority is to make sure we control any pain you may have. When the time is right, we will let a family member come see you.
After the procedure, you will either be admitted to the hospital or discharged with specific instructions.
Here are some other things to remember:
- You will be asked many times to say your name and birth date. You may get tired of answering the same question over and over again. It is for your safety that we continue to ask the same question.
- Do not bring valuables and lots of personal items to the hospital.
- Feel free to ask questions at any point. Here at the Medical Center, we are committed to making sure you have a positive experience.
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This is a great source of information for patients and families, well-written, concise and very helpful. Good job, Pam!