Before Surgery

Before Surgery Checklist

1) What to Expect Before Surgery:

      -Nothing to eat or drink after midnight; sometimes surgery is moved up due to a cancellation of another surgery, or the surgeon is running ahead of schedule.

      -Advise patients to drink lots of clear fluids the night before surgery to prevent dehydration.  This allows the pre-op nurses to find good intravenous (IV) access on the morning of surgery.

      -Stop herbal medications two weeks before the anticipated surgery.  Many herbs like ginseng, garlic, feverfew, and ginkgo biloba can increase bleeding.

      -Bowel preparation if needed (enema)

2) Coping Mechanisms for the Patient Before Surgery:

      -Exercise to prepare the heart and body

      -Mediation and/or yoga

      -Weight control or weight loss to reduce the risk of the procedure

      -Smoking cessation

      -Community outreach => example: church or parish prayer groups

      -Family support

   What About the Day of Surgery?

3) The CRNA's Surgery Preparation Checklist:

     -Laboratory tests ie: complete blood work,  chemistry panel, PTT, INR

     -Stress test or EKG for patients that have increased heart risk

     -Is the surgery a come and go surgery, i.e., same day surgery?

     -Will it require several days as an inpatient?

     -How much time will it require for recovery?

     -Meal preparation for the patient postoperatively

     -Family support

     -Social services needed (if long term care is required)