*What
To Expect * Services * Contact
Us * Pre-Registration * Pre-Operative
Guidelines
* Your Hospital Stay * Going Home
* Post-Op Guidelines * A Parent’s
Guide to Surgery
* Frequently Asked Questions
When you need inpatient surgical services, at Sierra Vista Regional Health Center the first thing you notice you become the center of our focus. From your first contact with our surgical team to your discharge planning, your care, comfort, and concerns are our number one objective.
Our inpatient surgery services are located on our main campus at 300 El Camino Real on the corner of El Camino Real and Wilcox Avenue.
We are proud of the range of services we provide giving you the advantage of receiving exceptional care closer to home. Our compassionate surgical staff, led by your surgeon, is comprised of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, surgical technicians, anesthesiologists, and the Sterile Processing team all licensed and certified by the state of Arizona, carrying the highest levels of Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
email: Chris.Tepe@svrhc.org
- On the day of your surgery, you will check in with our helpful Client Services staff that will quickly process your paperwork.
- One of our nurses will conduct you to the pre-operative area where you will be readied for surgery.
- You may have
one family member or friend stay with you during this process.
- You are welcome to bring something to read or do until it is time to go
into surgery.
- Please do not bring any valuables with you on the day of your surgery. If you inadvertently do so, please tell your nurse so your valuables can be secured in our hospital safe.
- Your family and friends may wait in our spacious waiting room, equipped with cable television.
- We do request that cellular telephones are limited to outdoor use.
- Our full service Down Under Café is available for meals and snacks. Please click on this link for more information about our Café.
- Your family members and friends will be fully informed of your progress and your support person may visit you in the post-operative area after you are recovered from anesthesia.
In addition to providing high standards of care, our goal is to make you feel as comfortable as possible by answering your questions and educating you about your surgical care. To help you, we have listed many helpful links below. We also welcome your calls at (520) 417-3010 if we may further explain or answer any of your questions.
- Endoscopy
- General
Surgery
- Gynecological
Surgery
- Orthopaedics
- Otolaryngology
- Urology
- Manometrey
- Podiatry
When you pre-register for your surgical services, you will be given complete pre-operative information. If you have any questions at all, we welcome you to call us at (520) 417-3010 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. where one of our helpful registered nurses will be glad to assist you.
Your pre-registration will begin with a telephone call from Client Services to schedule your pre-operative interview. Our Client Services telephone number is (520) 417-4900.
When you come for your pre-operative interview, please bring the following items:
- Insurance cards
- Test results
- Medications you currently take, either in their original bottles, or a complete
list of your medications including dosages.
- Picture identification
- Copy of your Living Will or Medical Power of Attorney, if applicable.
- Proof of Legal guardianship, if applicable.
- No solid food after midnight the night before surgery. You may have clear liquids up to five hours before surgery.
- If you routinely take medications in the morning (especially blood pressure medication), consult your surgeon. If you are advised to take medication the day of surgery, you may take it with a sip of water.
- If you are being treated for any other medical condition, please call your medical doctor or primary care physician to obtain specific pre-surgery instructions.
- Plan to have someone drive you home following surgery. Your surgery may be rescheduled if a responsible adult does not accompany you from the hospital after surgery.
- If a developmentally disabled person is having surgery, a parent or legal guardian must be present to sign the surgery consent form. If you are the legal guardian, bring proof of guardianship papers with you. You must remain at the hospital during their surgery.
- To find out when you should arrive for surgery and/or procedure, call (520) 417-3263 Monday - Friday between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. the day before surgery.
- Notify your surgeon and our facility if there is a change in your health prior to surgery. A cold, flu, or any sign of infection may require your surgery to be rescheduled.
- Surgeons may require lab work or other tests prior to surgery. Be sure to have this done following your surgeon’s instructions.
- Shower or bathe as usual before coming to the hospital. Do not apply any creams or lotions to your skin. Be sure your hair is dry.
- Do not wear makeup, especially mascara. No hairpieces.
- Artificial nails and nail polish must be removed from the operative hand or foot.
- Wear comfortable clothing.
- Do not bring any valuables with you on the day of surgery. This includes all jewelry including wedding bands. No metal of any kind is allowed including rings or body piercings.
- Bring a case for your eyeglasses and/or hearing aids.
- Please remember, your surgery may be rescheduled if you eat anything after midnight the evening before surgery, your ordered laboratory studies are not complete, or if a responsible adult does not accompany you from the hospital following surgery.
After surgery you will be taken to your room on the unit best suited to take care of your post surgery requirements. Please visit these links to learn about the services of each of our nursing units.
Medical
/ Surgical
Critical Care
Maternal / Child
When your surgeon determines you are ready to be released from the hospital our Social Work Services and Case Management teams will be there you assist you. Our licensed and certified professionals have the skills and training to help patients and families during their stay in the hospital. They also work with doctors, nurses, therapists and others, to help patients and families deal with post-surgical questions and plan a continued return to normal health after discharge.
Discharge planning begins the day you are admitted to the hospital. It sometimes takes several days to plan and ensure our patients have everything needed for a smooth transition to home or other facility. The social workers assist you with:
- Needed medical
equipment such as walkers or wheelchairs.
- Transfer to a care or rehabilitation facility, if required.
- Transportation.
- Psychosocial or psychological issues related to their illness or surgery.
- Crisis intervention.
- Emotional support and links to area agencies and services for Hospice patients
and their families.
By following these guidelines and those given to you by your surgeon, you will quickly find yourself on the road to recovery.
- Make sure you have someone to assist you for the first 24 hours.
- If you live alone be sure your surgeon is aware.
- Every surgery involves some pain. Your surgeon will determine the appropriate pain regimen to help you. If you have concerns about your level of pain or you have stomach irritation, nausea, or an allergic reaction (skin rash, itching, hives) please tell your surgeon.
- You may be nauseated or even vomit following surgery but this should go away within a few hours. Tell your nurse or surgeon if it persists.
- Fever over 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit, increased swelling, redness, or drainage are symptoms your surgeon need to be immediately aware of. Call your surgeon or seek emergency medical care if this occurs after going home.
- To reduce your risk of pneumonia, breathe deeply and cough several times a day for one to two days after surgery. If this is recommended for you, you will be given specific instructions.
- Keep your follow-up appointment with your surgeon.
- Follow the specific instructions that your surgeon gives you related to your surgery. Be sure you understand them and write them down so you can review them later. Your family member or support person is encouraged to attend all appointments with you.
We understand that surgery can seem scary to a child. At SVRHC, we want to help answer all of your questions so you and your child may recover quickly.
- Follow your surgeon’s pre-operative instructions. By doing so, your child will not have to go through “surgery day” all over again.
- Follow the eating/drinking directions given by your child’s surgeon.
- If your child is ill on the day before surgery, call your surgeon and the Perioperative Services office at 417-3263 immediately.
- If you are a foster parent or grandparent, bring the legal documents with you that prove you can authorize the surgery. You must remain at the hospital during surgery and recovery.
- Bring your insurance information and your child’s medical records, any medications your child is taking, and tell us about any allergies your child has.
- Dress your child in comfortable clothes.
- Bring your child’s favorite blanket, toy, or stuffed animal. They may take one of these into surgery with them.
- You are welcome to bring a quiet activity for your child to do while waiting for surgery.
- You must remain at the hospital during surgery and may make arrangements to remain overnight with your child.
- Bring another adult with you so when it is time to go home, so you can concentrate on taking care of your child.
- We request that other children be left at home as our waiting area has no provisions for unsupervised children.
You can prepare for surgery by asking your surgeon questions and by completely following his/her guidelines. Here are some questions you can ask your surgeon about what you will be able to do after surgery:
- Will I be able
to prepare my own meals?
- Can I take care of my personal needs?
- Will I be able to walk without assistance?
- Will I be able to walk up stairs?
- Can I bathe or shower?
- How will I take care of my incision?
- What kinds of things do I look for that indicate something is wrong?
- How long will I remain off work?
- What medications should I continue to take prior to and after surgery?
Iwona Snyder, RN, MSN, Perioperative Services Director
(520) 417-3510
Chris
Tepe, RN, OR Manager
(520) 417-3265
Marilyn Harper, RN, BSN Manager Pre-Post, PACU, Specials,Pain Clinic
(520) 417-4915
