What happens right before surgery?
There are five main stages:
1. Arrival. For most operations you will come in to hospital on the day of surgery. You will be directed to an admission area or day surgery. You will meet your nurse who will introduce themselves and check you in. They will ask you to change into a hospital gown.
2. Checking. The nurse will confirm your personal details and measure your vital signs such as temperature, pulse and blood pressure. You will be asked to confirm that you have stopped eating and drinking as per your instructions for the surgery. They will check your medical history and record your medications.
3. Anaesthetist. The anaesthetist will then see you to check on your fitness for anaesthetic and explain the process of anaesthesia.
4. Surgeon. The surgeon will come and ask you to confirm the surgery you are having. They check you have previously signed a consent form indicating your agreement to proceed. They may also mark the site of surgery, eg if left or right.
5. Wait. You will then wait to be called to theatre when your turn arrives. You walk or are wheeled on a trolley to theatre. Then an intravenous cannula (needle into an arm vein) may be inserted. This is the start of the anaesthetic.
Then you have operation. They usually go well, and you wake up in the ‘recovery area’.
