Inpatient Post Surgery Care Thoracic
Welcome to 7-1200, The Thoracic, Plastic and ENT Surgery Unit. We look forward to meeting you when you arrive on the Unit.
Getting Ready for Surgery
There are some things that you need to do to prepare for surgery and anesthesia.
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Please remove makeup and nail polish.
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Take off hair accessories. Remove all jewelry including wedding rings and piercings.
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Leave all your valuables at home.
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Wear comfortable clothes. It is recommended that you wear a button down shirt or loose fitting clothing.
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In order to prevent complications with anesthesia, you must not eat anything after midnight. No candy, gum or mints.
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On the morning of surgery, take your regular necessary medications, unless otherwise instructed. Take them with no more than 1 to 2 ounces of water.
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If you are on medications for diabetes, on blood thinners or aspirin, you should discuss special directions with your doctor or nurse.
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Please do not take any vitamins or herbal medications the morning of your surgery.
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You will be asked to call the Strong Hospital Surgery Center in the afternoon the day before surgery to find out what time you need to arrive. If your surgery is on a Monday, please call on Friday. The phone number is (585) 275-8256.
What to Bring
During your stay you may find that you’d like to have some of the following items with you:
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Pocket money – the local daily newspaper is available at 0.75/weekday
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Clothing (sweats, pajamas, underclothes, socks). You will be wearing a hospital gown initially due to IV lines and drainage tubes
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Personal items and toiletries – basic hygiene items are provided
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Glasses if you wear them
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Magazines, books
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You bring your cell phone
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Telephone numbers – A telephone and local service is available in each room for $7.00/day which includes telephone and TV service. You will be able to give your family and friends a phone number that connects directly to you room. If you will need to make long distance phone calls, you can use a calling card or you can call collect. You can purchase long-distance calling cards in different dollar amounts at the Cashier’s Office.
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Admission Day
When you arrive at the hospital on the day of admission, you may park in the Ramp Garage, or Valet Parking located at the hospital main entrance is available from 6 in the morning until to 4:30 pm. If you park your car, enter the hospital at Level 1 from the Ramp Garage, then:
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Follow the walkway to the Main Lobby.
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Walk past the information desk located in the center of the lobby and continue until you enter a main hallway with
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colored ceiling tags.
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Follow the GREEN (G) ceiling tags to the GREEN elevators.
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Take the elevators to the B or Basement Level.
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From there follow the colorful kites and butterflies to the Adult Surgical Center Waiting Room and check in with the receptionist.
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The Surgical Center staff will assume your care at this time as and answer any questions you may have.
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Your Room
When you arrive on the unit, a nurse will greet your family and you and show you to your room. Most rooms on 7-1200 are semi-private. The nine private rooms are assigned first for medical need and then on an as available basis to patients who request and at a charge of $40/day.
Each room is equipped with:
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A TV for each patient
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One bathroom with a tub or shower to share
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Bedside and overbed tables for each patient
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Wireless internet is available
The bathrooms in the patient rooms are for patients only. Family and friends must use the bathrooms by the Green and Red elevator banks.
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Daily Routine
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Drawing blood between 4 and 6 am. These are available when your doctor makes Rounds later.
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Early morning assessment visit by the Team Resident.
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Later visit by your Attending surgeon to determine the plan for the day.
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Daily Hygiene – you will be assisted by a Patient Care Technician (PCT) or Nurse. If permitted by your doctor, you may shower.
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Taking your blood pressure, pulse, temperature and oxygen level (vital signs) will be done at intervals throughout the day usually every four hours.
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Walking – you need to take a walk around the Unit at least three times/day to improve respiratory effort and prevent blood clots from immobility. The staff will assist you.
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Respiratory therapy – you will receive an incentive spirometer (IS) and instructions in how to use it from our Respiratory Therapist and Nurses. Hourly use of your IS while you are awake will help keep your lungs clear and help you maintain a good oxygen level.
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Meals – you will be provided with a menu and the phone number to call to order your meals. If you are on a restricted diet due to surgery, a standard tray may be ordered for you. Your nurse can assist you in obtaining the appropriate diet.
It is important that your healthcare providers properly identify you during your stay. You will have a hospital identification band that has your name, medical record number and date of birth. You will notice the members of your health care team checking your identification band prior to giving medications, hanging blood products, drawing labs or sending you off the unit for tests.
While in the hospital your risk of falling increases. Here are some ways to minimize the risk:
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Keep your call button near you at all times
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Report any spills or objects that are on the floor or that prevent you from moving freely in the room.
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Wear footwear with rubber soles.
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Make sure that you have adequate lighting to see, especially at night.
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Be aware that some medications may cause drowsiness. Ask your nurse or patient care technician for assistance if you ever feel light-headed or dizzy when getting up.
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Keep assistive devices (e.g., walker, cane, glasses, hearing aid) within reach.
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Keep your bed in the lowest position possible and keep the side rails at the top of your bed raised.
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Keep the head of your bed greater than 30 degrees at all times however.
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Be aware that equipment in your room such as your IV pole and the bedside table are on wheels and should not be used for support.
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Be careful not to trip over IV tubing when you get out of bed.
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Pain Management
After surgery you will receive medication to keep your post-operative pain under control. Your doctors and nurses will ask you to rate your pain level on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst pain. Based on your answer, your care givers can maintain or adjust your medication to keep you comfortable. It is important that your pain is managed so that you are able to cough, deep breathe, use your IS and walk. These activities prevent complication like pneumonia. There are several ways of receiving pain medication. You will experience more than one way as you recover from your surgery.
Pain medication can be administered by:
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Epidural catheter placed in your back prior to surgery. You will have a button to press when you need a dose of medication.
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IV line in your hand or arm. You will have a button to press when you need a dose of medication.
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Pills to take by mouth
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Liquid medication to take by mouth or in a feeding tube.
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Support Services
Some of the support services available to patients and families in the hospital are:
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Chaplain services
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Social workers
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Volunteers/advocates
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Librarian services
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Patient Discharge
Preparing to Go Home
Planning for your discharge day begins on your day of surgery. Your surgeon will give your family and you an idea of your anticipated length of stay, so that you can begin to make any necessary plans. Each day as your doctor visits, this plan will be updated.
At times there is a need for a patient to go to a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) for rehabilitation prior to going home. This decision will be made with the help of a physical therapist, an occupational therapist and your medical team. The 7-1200 social worker will assist your family and you with the process of selecting an appropriate facility.
Often patients who are discharged home will need the services of a Community Health Nurse (CHN). Patients who have a feeding tube, wound drain or a dressing need will be assisted by the 7-1200 Care Coordinator in selecting a home care agency in their area. Your nurses will provide instruction for your family and you during your stay in how to care for your wound or drain.
Patients receive written information at discharge including information about:
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Self-care dos and don’ts
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Medications
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Contact persons/phone numbers
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Follow-up appointments
The Out—Patient Pharmacy is available to fill prescriptions on the day of discharge. Delivery is made directly to the patient’s room with collection of any co-payments at that time.
Family is encouraged to park in the Patient Discharge Lot on the day of discharge. This lot is located on the Crittenden Avenue side of the hospital. Family should check in at the desk at this door and then come up to 7-1200 on the Green elevators. The patient will be transported by wheelchair to this door for pick-up.
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Visitor Information
Visitors Make All the Difference
Most beneficial for many patients is the support they receive from their families and friends. Even when frequent visits are not possible due to distance, work or school schedules, it is possible to be supportive. All rooms have dedicated telephones and access to computers and the Internet. You can send cards, letters and gifts. While all of these take some planning and thoughtfulness, they make it possible to support the patient even when you cannot be present daily.
Guidelines for Family and Friends
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Visiting hours for the family and friends are from 11 am to 8 pm daily. The rooms can become quite crowded, so we do ask you to limit the number of people in the room at one time.
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We respectfully request that visiting hours are followed but we also understand that there are sometimes unique situations that require accommodation. Please make our leadership team aware of any special considerations.
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During times when a patient’s condition requires special attention by the medical or nursing staff, the number of family and friends and the duration that your family and friends may be asked to leave the room for certain aspects of care.
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We encourage families to be involved in the care and decision making process of their loved ones. Families are not viewed as visitors but as a part of our care team to make you better!
Lodging and Accommodations
Strong Guest Services can assist you with lodging and accommodations. Free accommodations are available at Hope Lodge for cancer patients and their families who come from outside Monroe County for ambulatory treatment. For information, call 800-ACS-2345 (TTY: 866-228-4327).
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