What to Expect for Your Surgery

Preparing for Your Surgery at Mount Auburn Hospital

Any time you have surgery, it’s sure to be stressful. At Mount Auburn Hospital, we try to keep your stress to a minimum. You can depend on us to keep you informed and to make your experience as easy and comfortable as possible.

Pre-Admission Appointment and Testing

You meet with your doctor and members of the surgical care team to plan your surgery. At a surgical consultation, your doctor:

• Reviews your medical history.
• Discusses your exam results.
• Presents your options for surgery or non-surgical alternatives.
• We spend time explaining your procedure and answering your questions.

Together, we also plan for a successful recovery. We talk about your home environment and available support services. If needed, we connect you with home health care resources.

Your surgeon’s office will contact us to schedule your surgery. We also help you schedule these or other tests you may need:

• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
• Lab work
• Urinalysis

About a week before your scheduled surgery, you’ll receive a call from your surgical team. During this call, we get this and other necessary details from you:

• Allergies
• Medications you take
• Your overall health

We also provide instructions to get ready for your surgery. This includes when you should stop eating and drinking before your procedure. It’s important that you follow these instructions carefully. They’re intended for your safety. Not following them may cause a delay in your surgery.

The day before your surgery, we’ll call to confirm your surgery time. We will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.

Your Arrival for Surgery

On the day of surgery:

• Leave all valuables and jewelry at home.
• Arrive at the time provided for you.

For information about where to check in and park, please review our Patients & Visitors guide.
You also can learn more about your stay at the hospital.

Just Before Surgery

After checking into the hospital, you’ll go to our pre-op waiting area. There, you’ll change into a hospital gown and meet with your surgical team. They’ll confirm your treatment plan and answer any last-minute questions before you’re taken to the operating room.

You must remove any dentures, eyeglasses, jewelry, prostheses and wigs. We’ll store these items for you, but it’s best to leave all valuables at home.

A nurse takes you to the operating room. Your anesthesiologist uses medicine to put you to sleep before your procedure.

After Surgery 

After surgery, you will recover in our post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Nurses who specialize in caring for people after anesthesia monitor your vital signs and oxygen levels. 

We encourage you to move around as soon as you can. This helps: 

• Avoid breathing and lung conditions.
• Prevent blood clots.
• Reduce the length of your hospital stay.

If you’re staying overnight in the hospital, you’ll move from the PACU to a surgical recovery unit. Your surgeon will visit you each day you’re in the hospital.

If you’re going home the same day as your surgery, you will need someone to drive you or accompany you on public transportation.

Going Home 

When you’re ready to be discharged, we give you verbal and written instructions on how to care for yourself at home. This includes how to take your medicines.

A nurse will call you at home later the same day, or the next day, to see how you’re feeling.

You should avoid driving for 24 hours after having anesthesia. It’s also best to have someone stay with you to help you at home.

If your doctor prescribes pain medication, it’s important that you don’t drink alcohol or drive.