Getting ready for your operation

Preparing for admission

Before your operation you need to attend a separate appointment with Pre-operative Assessment to ensure you are fit enough for surgery.

The nursing staff in Pre-operative Assessment will ask you about your past medical history and will undertake a number of tests which will include some or all of the following:

Height / weight
Blood pressure
MRSA swabs
Blood tests
ECG

We also need details of all medication you are currently taking. Please bring with you your
medication history sheet from your GP or a copy of your current prescription(s).

When will my operation take place?

Following your pre-operative assessment appointment, feedback will be given to the Waiting List Co-ordinator to plan your admission to hospital. If you have not done so already, you will receive a letter informing you of your admission date, time and place. It will also inform you of your individual fasting requirements.

Is there anything I should do before my operation?

Before you come into hospital for surgery there are certain preparations you need to make:

Do not smoke for 24 hours or more before your operation
Arrange for a supply of your regular medications to be available and some painkillers to have at home ready
Arrange child care or alternative care for those you are the main carer for
Arrange for someone to collect you from hospital and stay with you for a period of 24 hours following discharge
Follow any fasting instructions you are given (these will be on your admission letter)
Follow any specific instructions you are given at Pre-operative Assessment including:
- – stopping or taking any medications
- – preparations such as specialist diets, drinks etc

On the day of your operation

On the morning of your operation you will need to:

Have a bath or shower
Take off all your jewellery except your wedding ring if you have one
Take off any nail varnish or false nails on your fingers and toes
Remove any make-up

What should I bring?

Storage is limited on the ward so we ask that you only bring what is necessary.
Essential items:

Any medication you are taking, all in their original packaging (tablets, medicines, inhalers)
Dressing gown
Sensible footwear with a non-slip sole

We also suggest that you add these items to your checklist:

Pyjamas or nightdress
Toiletries (including contact lens cases, denture pot etc)
Mobility aids (frames and sticks)
Hearing aid
Glasses and case

You might also want to bring something to do during your stay for example a book, newspaper, magazine or crossword.

If you know you are having your surgery under a local, epidural or regional anaesthetic you may like to bring some music to listen to.

Getting to and from hospital

Think about how you will get to the hospital and back again. You are advised not to drive and you will normally be expected to make your own way home.

Transport is only provided to patients who have a specific medical need.

Your discharge from hospital

To make sure that you only stay in hospital for the time you need, we start to plan your discharge as soon as possible.

The nurse at your pre-operative assessment appointment will help to identify if further support may be required on discharge.
We will assess what your immediate needs are likely to be, to enable you to return home to continue your recovery.
On admission we will keep you updated with discharge arrangements so that you and your family can plan your return home. You will be given a discharge date at the earliest opportunity.
You will be given an expected date for discharge when the staff caring for you believe your treatment will be completed.

Your general health

Call us immediately if you are unwell or have the following symptoms in the week before surgery:

Sore throat or cold
Chest infection
Feel feverish with a temperature above 37.5°C
Diarrhoea and vomiting
Any sores, cuts on or near affected operating site

You can call us on: 0114 2266235 or 0114 2266369

If you need to see a doctor or other health professional, you must tell them you are awaiting a planned operation.

Importance of fasting

Please refer to your admission letter for specific fasting instructions. You need an empty stomach during surgery so you don’t vomit.

Chewing gum, mints and sweets are considered foods, so you should not have them.

Remember to have a glass of water 1 hour before admission as advised in your letter. This will help to prevent post-operative complications related to dehydration.

Bringing children to your appointment

We ask that you do not bring children to your pre-operative assessment. Your appointment will be thorough and not appropriate for children to attend.

If the date or time of your appointment means this would be difficult, please contact our team to discuss this.

Preventing blood clots

When we cut ourselves, we bleed. To stop us from bleeding too much, chemicals in our bloodstream help to form a clot. Sometimes a clot can form in the wrong place.

People who are ill, have surgery or are pregnant are at increased risk of blood clots forming in the wrong place.

Your risk of developing a blood clot will be assessed by a doctor or nurse. This will happen either when you come to the pre-assessment clinic.

If you are thought to be at increased risk of developing a blood clot you may be advised to use one or both of the following:

medication (injection or tablets)
a device to improve the blood flow in your legs (stockings or another device)

You can find ou more by reading our "Preventing blood clots while you are in hospital and after you leave" leaflet

Smoking cessation

We ask that you stop smoking before your operation as continuing to smoke will increase your risks. Research shows that people who stop smoking have a shorter recovery period following an operation.

If you need help and support to help quite smoking before your operation, please see the Yorkshire Smokefree service for advice and support.

Please see our "Stop before your op" leaflet for further details

Reducing infection

Our stringent cleaning and infection prevention measures have meant the chances of patients acquiring an infection like MRSA while in our hospitals is well below most other large teaching hospitals and over the past four years we have been one of the most successful groups of hospitals in the country to prevent healthcare associated infections like MRSA and Clostridium Difficile.

But to keep our hospitals clean of infections we need everyone including visitors to follow the simple steps as explained below.

What can you do to reduce the risk of infection to yourself and others?

Have a shower or bath. If you are coming in for a planned operation, you are advised to have (or be helped to have) a shower, bath or bed bath the day before or on the day of your operation.
Do not shave your operation area yourself. If any hair needs to be removed from your skin before an operation, staff will do this using electric clippers with a disposable head.
Use the hand cleaning facilities at every ward entrance and every bedside and encourage your visitors to do so as well.
Ask the staff caring for you whether they have cleaned their hands. Staff really do not mind you asking and are expecting you to do so.
Display the back of this leaflet on your bedside locker or bed table. This will remind everyone around you to clean their hands.
Follow the points in the Visitors’ Code and on the signs at each ward entrance. These will tell you more about how you and your visitors can help us prevent the spread of infections.

For more information about reducing your risk of infection, see our dedicated leaflet or webpage.