Patients
Getting ready for surgery
In the lead up to having elective surgery you will meet a number of healthcare professionals that will provide information on how to get ready for surgery:
- You will meet with you Surgeon to discuss the procedure itself.
- You may meet an Anaesthetist who will discuss having an anaesthetic and pain relief.
- You may meet a Specialist Nurse depending on the type of surgery you are having. For example if you are going to have colostomy you will meet with a Stoma Specialist Nurse.
- You may meet a Preassessment Nurse who will discuss you health and wellbeing with you.
- You may meet a Dietician, Physiotherapist, Speech and Language Therapist or Research Nurse depending on the type of surgery you are having.
Sometimes patients are sent for additional appointments at the hospital. This can include having additional blood tests and sometimes to be given mediciations into the vein. You may also be advised to take additional medications at home.
Before surgery it is very important to think about your lifestyle and ways that you personally may be able to improve your health before surgery. You can read more about this here.
