Day Surgery - Day Surgery Unit

Introduction

Welcome to the Day Surgery Unit at Rochdale Infirmary.

We extend a warm welcome to you and hope your stay with us is a pleasant as possible. We appreciate that a visit into hospital can be a worrying/uncertain time, with this in mind we have produced this leaflet for you. It contains general information about your admission, anaesthetic, operation and discharge. If you have any queries, no matter how small, please telephone the unit.

Level A - 01706 517132

Level C - 01706 517555

Your surgical procedure will involve you being in the unit for a number of hours and there are no facilities for your relatives or visitors to stay with you. Please inform your escort that they will be contacted when nursing staff are happy for you to go home. If you require a carer to assist you, please inform the Day surgery staff prior to your admission.

To prevent prolonged waiting we may operate a staggered admission system. Your admission time is not your operation time.

If for any reason it is felt your operation needs to be postponed for further investigations or treatment, or advisable for you to be treated as an inpatient, we will discuss this with you and the appropriate arrangements will be made.

We would ask that you inform us if you cannot attend so that your appointment may be reallocated to another patient.
 
If you need an interpreter, please inform the hospital prior to your admission. As per Trust policy we cannot use a family member.

The Unit

On arrival, please report to the reception area. A nurse will be allocated to look after you and plan your care during your stay. The nurse will explain more about the unit, prepare you for your operation, ensure all the relevant information is correct and answer any questions you may have.

Prior to your operation you will meet the surgeon and anaesthetist (if required) and if you have not already done so, you will be asked to sign a consent form.

Depending on the approximate time of your operation, you may be asked to wait in the reception. At the appropriate time you will then be transferred to a sub wait area to get changed into a theatre gown.

The Day Surgery Unit is located over 3 areas within the Infirmary. We have a Level A (12 trollies) where our main reception desk is, Level C upstairs (8 trollies) and we have Rochdale diagnostic Unit next door to pharmacy across the link bridge. We also have a sister ward for those patients who require an overnight stay or an extended recovery, this is known as Pioneer Ward and is located on level C also. Pioneer is a 14 bedded ward - 01706 517264.

The Day Surgery Unit is an ambulatory unit which just means you may walk into the anaesthetic room when it is your turn to go into theatre along with a nurse escort.

What you need to know……

General anaesthetic

If you are having a general anaesthetic, you should have been instructed at preop to make arrangements for a responsible adult to be available to take you home by car or taxi. You need to be looked after for 24 hours following your discharge.

You may also need help if you have very young children or elderly dependants or any caring responsibilities. Parents/ guardians of patients 16 years of age must accompany their child on admission so that a signed consent can be given by the patient and witnessed by you. A parent/guardian is welcome to stay with their child until discharge.

If you are accompanying someone who lacks capacity, you will need to stay with them and bring all relevant documents to support power of attorney.

If you are having a general anaesthetic, you MUST NOT eat anything for at least six hours before your admission. This includes sweets and chewing gum. You may drink water up to two hours prior to admission. You will be given specific fasting instructions at your preop assessment.

If your operation is in the morning this usually means nothing from midnight the night before.

If your operation is in the afternoon, then this means nothing to eat after a light breakfast i.e. a small bowl of cereal or slice of toast and a drink at 7am.

It is advisable to stop smoking 48 hours prior to your operation.

Please bring with you dressing gown and slippers/sliders and a current list of all your medications.
 
Please also bring in something to occupy yourself whilst waiting for your surgery.

If you wear glasses, please bring them with you on the day. This is so you can see the relevant legal paperwork which must be signed before you can have your operation/procedure.

Failure to attended the preop assessment clinic will result in your operation being cancelled.

Sedation

Please follow the same instructions as for general anaesthetic. On the day of admission, it is essential that you bring the following items with you:

• Dressing gown and slippers (if you have them)
• A list of medication you are taking including times and doses
• Any sprays or inhalers you are using
• Something to occupy you whilst waiting for surgery

For both General Anaesthetic and Sedation, please have a bath/ shower before you arrive and remove all nail varnish, false eyelashes, and make up and body piercings before coming into hospital. Any metal hair extension clips will also need to be removed. Also please DO NOT use any talc or body lotion on your skin on the day of your admission.

Local anaesthetic

The effects of a local anaesthetic should wear off within a few hours. If you feel any discomfort, take your usual painkillers.

It is advisable to rest at home for the remainder of the day. You may eat and drink normally.

Medications

If you normally take medication, then please follow the instructions you were given at the preop assessment clinic. Use inhalers as normal and bring them with you to the Day Surgery Unit. Continue to take medication as normal following your discharge unless you have been told not to do so.

Valuables

Please do not bring large sums of money or articles of great value with you. Please leave all jewellery at home. Your belongings will be safely and securely placed at your bed space during your admission, there are small lockers with keys in the reception area if you wish to use them.

Northern Care Alliance cannot accept responsibility for the loss of patients’ property. You will be asked to sign a disclaimer to this effect on admission.

Mobile phones

In the interest of patient safety and confidentiality we ask that you do not use your mobile phone in the clinical areas as per hospital policy.

Staff and training

An important part of the role of the hospital is to train members of the health professions which cannot be achieved without the cooperation of patients. Medical students, student nurses and other staff undertaking training in our hospitals are attached to the team responsible for your care.
 
We hope that you will agree to co-operate in this work. If, however, you do not wish to take part in any medical, nursing or other teaching work, you are entitled to refuse without treatment being affected in any way. In this case you should inform the nurse in charge of your care as soon as possible.

After the operation

When your operation/procedure is over, and you have recovered satisfactorily from your anaesthetic you will be transferred from the recovery area to the day surgery ward. When you are fully recovered you will be given light refreshments. In the case of a local anaesthetic, you will be given refreshments immediately on return to the ward.

If you have had general anaesthetic, your recovery time may result in you being on the unit for several hours prior to discharge, this will depend on the individual patients post operative nurse assessment.

Before we can discharge you home you must have adequate pain control, minimal nausea, vomiting or dizziness and have passed urine.

You may be given painkillers before going home. Take regularly as prescribed for the first 48 hours. Do not wait until the pain is unbearable.

Discharge

When we are happy to allow you to go home, we will arrange your responsible adult to come and collect you. Do not go home alone in a taxi or by public transport.

Before discharge, you will be given verbal and written information about your aftercare. For further information or to answer any queries you may have, please contact the relevant Day Surgery Unit Level A or C.

Anaesthetic drugs stay in the body for 24-48 hours and gradually wear off over this period. During the first 24 hours it is important that you obey the following:

• Do not drive a car or ride a bike as your insurance will not cover you
• Do not operate any machinery or electrical appliances
• Do not drink alcohol
• Do not cook or handle pans/kettles
• Do not lock the toilet/bathroom door or make yourself inaccessible to your carer
• Do not make important decisions or sign documents
• Do not take strenuous exercise
• Do not look after your children on your own
• We advise that you have a supply of pain killers at home

For the responsible adult

Thank you for agreeing to be the responsible adult for your relative/friend.

The person you have collected may have had either a general anaesthetic/sedation or spinal anaesthetic for them to have their day case procedure today.

It’s quite normal for them to feel drowsy, dizzy, faint and sometimes nauseous due to the drugs they have received in theatres. Some people can look quite pale in colour post operatively too.

They are advised to go home and get into bed and try to rest/ sleep, let their body start to metabolise (breakdown) the drugs they have received.

Prior to discharge they have been assessed by qualified nurse and will have had to meet certain discharge criteria. i.e. passing urine, routine observations within acceptable limits as per earlier comment.

All wounds’ dressings/plasters will have been checked and spare ones provided.

Once home check dressings again there could be some spotting on them after moving from car to house/bed/settee. Reinforce with guaze if dressing is wet, the wound will not have had time to start scabbing over yet, so some spotting is expected.

If you have any concerns or worries please ring us for advice or attend your nearest A/E, Urgent Treatment Centre, GP or ring 111.

FIT notes

If you are advised to return to work in 7 days, then you can cover your absence with a self-certification form, which you can obtain from the government website. If your sickness is going to be over 7 days then the unit will provide you with a FIT note to cover this or until your follow up appointment (where relevant). Please ask a member of staff for this certificate before you are discharged home, these can also be sent to your mobile phone now.

Transport

An ambulance cannot be booked unless it is required on medical grounds. If suitable your GP will arrange this for you before your admission. Please ask your GP to make these arrangements for you.

Correspondence

If we want to see you again an Outpatient appointment will either be given to you or will be sent to you in the post.
Communication regarding your stay in hospital is usually sent electronically to your GP.

Should you have any problems regarding your condition or when you arrive home following your discharge, please contact the Day Surgery Unit for advice.

Day Surgery Unit, Rochdale Infirmary - Monday to Saturday 7am - 8pm.