Patient Information
Before your admission--at your doctor's office
Before your surgery
When you arrive
"The Circle" of your surgery
For your family
After your surgery
Patient's Bill of Rights
Before your surgery, your doctor will give you a packet of necessary forms including orders for pre-operative tests, X-rays and a cardiogram if indicated. A health survey and advance registration form are included in the packet. Please complete these forms and bring them with you when you come to the Saint Vincent Surgery Center for Pre-admission Testing.
Please stop at the Saint Vincent Surgery Center one to two weeks prior to your surgery to have your tests done. There are 30-minute parking spaces convenient to our front door for your use. All tests are done in one area of the center with a minimum of waiting or walking involved.
If your pre-screening orders require you to have an EKG or chest X-ray:
- You will be asked to remove all clothing and jewelry from the waist up. Female patients are asked to wear socks, stockings or knee-hi stockings instead of panty hose.
- Do not apply any lotions or oils to arms, legs or chest area.
The test results and health survey will be reviewed by a registered nurse and the anesthesiologist prior to your surgery. This information allows us to plan ahead for your individual care needs. The advanced registration form will be used to verify your insurance coverage. Remember to include phone numbers where you can be reached on your survey.
On the last business day before your surgery, we will call you to confirm your scheduled procedure time. The registered nurse will also give you pre-operation (pre-op) instructions and answer all your questions. If you have not received a call by 2 p.m. on that day, please call us at 814/452-7000.
Although you are unique, some things are common to most types of surgery. They are:
- Dress comfortably--you will need to put on a hospital gown and slippers (provided upon admission) and place your clothes in a locker.
- Wear clothes that will fit easily and comfortably over your surgical area for the return trip home.
- Do not wear make up, contact lenses, nail polish or jewelry (including body piercings).
- Children may bring a favorite toy, blanket or other "security" item.
- To maintain aseptic conditions in the operating rooms, please shower and shampoo prior to admission.
- Arrange to have an adult at the surgery center while you are in the operating room in case there are any questions.
- There must be an adult with you to drive you home.
- After discharge, you must have someone to stay with you the remainder of the day. We also suggest that someone stay with you overnight for your safety.
When you come to the Saint Vincent Surgery Center on the day of your surgery, you will enter the building at the West 25th Street entrance. Please have your driver come in with you so that they can obtain a parking card from the receptionist. This card will access the parking lot directly across the street from the center.
After parking the car, your driver will return the card to the receptionist. No card is needed to leave the lot. This area provides free parking during your stay at the center. Your family member or friend may then join you in the lobby patient waiting area.
Please note: Parking on the street is not permitted. This is for resident parking only. Curbside parking will result in a ticket.
Your route through the Saint Vincent Surgery Center is like a circle. All of the rooms, including the testing rooms, locker rooms, operating rooms and recovery room, are laid out in a circle which begins and ends at the reception lobby.
The receptionist will let the pre-op nurse know when you have arrived. Patients are admitted in order of their surgeon's schedule, not on a first-come, first-served basis, so try to arrive as near the time indicated in your pre-op call as possible.
Locker room
A nurse will escort you to the locker room. A family member will accompany children and adult patients who need assistance with changing clothes.
Pre-op
In the pre-op area, the nurse will take your temperature, blood pressure, weight and review your health history.
All preliminary care will be given in the pre-op room. This means all necessary IVs will be started, eye blocks, axillary blocks, ankle blocks and medications given. Young children will have their IV started in the operating room after receiving mask anesthesia. Children may also receive a mild sedative to reduce their anxiety.
The nurse will explain what to expect throughout your stay and answer all of your questions.
The anesthesiologist will also interview you, check your heart and lungs and explain the type of anesthesia you (or your child) will be receiving. If you are scheduled for a local-anesthesia procedure, your surgeon will administer your local anesthesia, eliminating the need for an anesthesiologist to interview you.
Two visitors will be allowed in the pre-op area after you are settled. Visitors should be over 14 years of age.
You will be escorted to the operating room by one of the operating room staff nurses who will explain the equipment and the procedures to you.
Recovery rooms
Immediately after surgery, you will be taken to a recovery area. General and spinal anesthesia patients will go to the first phase recovery room. There you will be monitored by a registered nurse for at least one half hour. For the privacy, comfort and safety of all patients, family members are not permitted to be with you at this time. Children are cared for on a one-to-one basis.
After phase one recovery, patients are moved to the second phase recovery room, where family members will join you (visitors are limited to two per patient). Your family or friend can stay with you throughout your recovery.
Patients who have had surgery under local anesthesia or IV sedation will go immediately from the operating room to the second phase area. There are lounge chairs and a television in this room, providing a comfortable setting for the rest of your stay. Your family or friend will also join you for your recovery.
Patients having general anesthesia will rest in bed until awake enough to progress to a lounge chair. To meet discharge criteria, you must be able to walk short distances without being unsteady (taking into account the type of surgery and your normal mobility). Liquids (pop, coffee, Popsicles, etc.) will be offered as tolerated. The length of stay in the second phase recovery room is determined by your needs.
The Saint Vincent Surgery Center has a separate pediatric recovery room specially designed to meet the needs of our young patients. Lounge chairs are available so our parents can comfortably hold their little ones during recovery. We also expect our patients to walk a short distance and to begin to take cool liquids before discharge. This is especially important for those children having tonsillectomies.
At the Saint Vincent Surgery Center, we do things a bit differently. We think taking care of your family is as important as taking care of you.
While you are in surgery, your family will return to the lobby. For their convenience, our facility offers a cafe with food and beverages, as well as snack and cold beverage machines located in the same area.
Smoking is not allowed in Saint Vincent facilities. We also request young children be attended at all times. Visitors under the age of 14 are discouraged since the stay is so short, and you will be returning home the same day.
Surgery center patients must have a responsible adult available to take them home and are encouraged to have someone stay with them for the 24 hours following surgery. Patients cannot be discharged without this person present.
Before being discharged, you will receive:
- Verbal and printed instructions from a registered nurse. We ask that your family or friend listen to the instructions with you to help prevent confusion. These instructions include information about what to eat and drink, what activity is allowed after surgery, when to resume medications you were taking before surgery, when you can shower, and wound care.
- Phone numbers to use if you have questions after you arrive home.
- Prescriptions if needed.
- Instructions for your follow-up appointment with your surgeon.
While you are dressing for your return home, we will ask your driver to bring the car to the front door for your convenience.
Within a few days after your surgery, a nurse will call you to find out how you are doing. Sometimes your schedule or our schedule makes it difficult to reach you; however, we will continue to try until we do. It's our way of making sure your visit to the Saint Vincent Surgery Center was a successful one.
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