Your operation

Day of Surgery Admission Unit

Waikato Hospital’s Day of Surgery Admission Unit is on Level 1 of the Waiora Waikato Centre.

Patients go there for admittance and preparation before their operation, if it is at the hospital’s main operating theatre.

From here, staff will take patients to a pre-operative area for preparation and then an operating theatre for the procedure.

Day-case patients

If your procedure does not require admittance to a ward for post-operative care, and you will go home on the same day, you will go to the Same Day Admissions Unit (Level 8 Menzies Building) to recover after your operation.

Staff there will give you any information you may need about your after-care.

You will need someone to drive you home. You can wait in Waikato Hospital’s Transit Lounge on B3 of the New Entry Building for this person to arrive.

Ward admittance

If we need you to stay overnight after your procedure, you will be admitted to a ward.

Waikato Hospital does not have a public pharmacy. If you get a prescription for your recovery, you will need to get this from your pharmacy or another chemist on your way home.

Parking

This is available in Waikato Hospital’s Carpark Building. For more information, ask for a copy of the parking brochure or visit www.waikatodhb.health.nz/waikatohospital.

Your appointment and procedure

It is vital that you arrive on time because we operate under a tight schedule.

If you are running late or are unable to attend, please phone us on 07 839 8928.

When you arrive, report to reception and we will check we have your correct contact details.

A nurse will collect you from the waiting area and take you to a consultation room or the pre-operative preparation area.

The nurse will discuss your operation with you and check you have had all the necessary tests and you are properly prepared for your operation.

Please feel free to ask any questions.

We may ask you questions you have already answered at a previous appointment. This is to ensure we can safely proceed with the operation.

The nurse will provide you with a theatre gown and stockings to wear and you get into a bed before going to the operating theatre.

The stockings promote blood flow in your legs during the operation and while you are not moving after.

As we have very limited space in this area, only one support person may accompany you. If you bring others they must wait somewhere else, such as the cafeteria.

Nil by mouth

This means that you cannot eat or drink anything after the time specified in your admission letter.

This includes lollies, peppermints or chewing gum.

If you have had anything to eat or drink after your specified nil by mouth time, we will cancel your surgery.

Medication

Nil by mouth does not include medication, unless a doctor or nurse has told you not to take it.

If you are still taking medication you can have small amount of water.

Theatre schedules

On your arrival, your nurse will indicate when you can expect to have your operation.

This time depends on the theatre list. If we asked you to arrive between 7am -10am, you will generally have your operation in the morning between 8.15am and noon.

If we asked you to arrive after 10.30am, you will have your operation between 1pm and 4.30pm.

There may be changes on the day due to unforeseen circumstances but we will keep you informed.

Please plan to wait for a period of time before your operation; you are welcome to bring a book or a small activity.

Personal items

Please limit your luggage to necessary items only. We recommend you leave valuables at home.

If you are only staying for the day please bring essential toiletries and comfortable clothes for after your operation.

If you are staying overnight or longer, please bring toiletries, sleepwear, day clothes, any regular medication you may be taking and anything else you may require during your stay e.g. a book.

Valuable items, jewellery and taonga

We ask you to remove all jewellery for your procedure.

You can wear items that are of cultural significance to you. If we have any concerns, we will discuss these with you on admission, particularly if they are near the part of your body where we are operating.

Children and babies

Please bring your child’s own sleepwear, nappies and wipes if required. It is also helpful to bring your child’s favourite toy.

If your baby is bottle-fed, please have a bottle on hand to give your child once they have recovered from the anaesthetic.

If your baby is breastfed, we encourage you to do this as soon as your baby shows signs of wanting to be fed.

We may offer older children an ice-block in the recovery room.

There will only be one parent/caregiver allowed in the recovery room once your child wakes.

Anaesthetic

There are different types of anaesthetics:

• General anaesthetic: This is when you will be put completely to sleep and an anaesthetist (anaesthetic doctor) looks after you during this time.
• Regional anaesthetic: This is we numb only part of your body for the operation. Sometimes this involves a ‘spinal anaesthetic’ so you will feel nothing from the ‘waist down’ or an arm block so you will not feel your arm during the operation.
• Local anaesthetic: This is when we numb only an area where you are having the operation by injection.

Your surgeon will discuss your options with your anaesthetist prior to your operation.

Further information

You can call the booking clerk who has sent you this information; the number is your the admission letter. If you need further information, they will be happy to help you. You can also ring the Day of Surgery Admission Unit on (07) 839 8928.

If for some reason you are unable to make it to the hospital for your operation, please contact us as early as possible.

Phone the Day of Surgery Admission Unit on (07) 839 8928.