The Day of Surgery
5 Important Things to Do
1. Do Not Allow Your Child to Eat or Drink
Follow the instructions you are given the day before surgery or your child may not be able to have his surgery.
2. Give Your Child a Bath
If given to you, use the Hibiclens cleanser as directed by your health-care provider. Pay special attention to the surgical site (avoiding eyes, ears and mouth).
3. Check for Illness
Call your child's surgeon or the Surgery Center at (206) 987-2045 if your child has symptoms of a cold or flu on the morning of surgery.
4. Bring Important Things
Here is a list of important things to bring.
5. Arrive on Time
It is very important to arrive at the hospital at the time you are given so that your child's surgery can happen.
A Preview of Your Child's Surgery
Here is a brief outline of what you and your child will do on the day of surgery. We are here to answer your questions all along the way.
1. Check-in
Check-in at the 4th floor main registration desk. Then go to the 4th floor Surgery Center desk. Your child will be given a hospital identification bracelet, which must be worn at all times. Please be on time or the surgery may need to be rescheduled.
2. Before surgery
A nurse will meet you and help your child get ready for surgery.
3. The anesthesia team
You will have a chance to meet with the anesthesiologist before surgery to discuss what will work best for your child. Most children fall asleep with medicine given through a mask or IV (through a vein). Because parents are not able to go into the operating room, children may be given medicine by mouth to help them relax before surgery.
4. During surgery
Your nurse or doctor will let you know about how long the surgery will last. We ask that you stay in the hospital during your child’s surgery. Staff may provide you with a pager so your child’s nurse or doctor can call you at any time. You might also receive an overhead page asking you to return to the Surgery Center or Recovery Area.
The Family Resource Center on the 5th floor by the Train elevators is a nice place to wait. It has books, magazines, computers, wired and wireless Internet, television, an outside patio and a vending area with free coffee and tea.
You can also go to the cafeteria (Sound Cafe) on the 5th floor near the Whale elevators. Or, visit the Whale Gift Shop on the 5th floor, or the snack shop, Giraffe Gift Shop or chapel on the 1st floor near the Giraffe entrance
5. After Surgery
When your child’s surgery is over, the surgeon will come and talk with you. Your child will stay in the recovery room until she is safely awake and comfortable. If your child is staying overnight, you will be given her room number after surgery. Your child will be brought to the room, where she will continue to be cared for by staff. The staff will explain everything you need to know about the unit and your child’s inpatient stay. Your child will probably be sleepy after surgery. She may have bandages or an IV (a small plastic tube that is put into a vein to deliver medicines). If your child feels sick to her stomach after surgery, this is normal and the medicine will help.