Getting Ready for Surgery

Preparing for your surgery begins with you.

Depending on your health history, type of surgery and your surgeon’s recommendation, you may be scheduled for pre-admission testing at the hospital with a nurse practitioner or anesthesiologist.

In most cases, you can expect a call from our nursing team who will discuss your health history and give you any needed instructions to best prepare for your surgery.

What You Need To Do

Complete before the day of your surgery any ordered tests, including blood work, x-rays or an EKG.

Pre-register and get insurance verification before your surgery. Call our Patient Registration Department at (603) 740-2493 between 7:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. Please be sure to have your insurance card available when you call.

Arrange for someone over the age of 18 to drive you home, if you are having an outpatient surgery, and make sure a responsible adult stays with you for the rest of that day and night following the surgery. At this time, only one adult (over the age of 18) may accompany you inside the hospital on the day of your surgery (or both parents/guardians of children).

Day of Surgery

Take all of your usual medications the morning of the surgery, except insulin or blood sugar lowering medications, unless your physician recommends otherwise. A nurse or pharmacist will review your medications and provide instructions prior to your day of surgery.

Shower or bathe to minimize the chance of infection. Do not shave or clip the surgical area prior to surgery. Remove all jewelry and do not use any lotions, powders or hair products after showering or bathing.

Don’t wear make-up, nail polish or lipstick.

No food should be eaten after midnight, including gum and hard candy. Clear liquids may be allowed (at the discretion of your surgeon) up to two hours before you arrive including water, Gatorade, apple juice, black coffee or black tea. 

The Center for Surgical Optimization and Pre-Operative Services will call you between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. the evening before your surgery to discuss your arrival time.

Wear comfortable clothing appropriate for your surgery. For example: shorts or sweats for lower extremity procedures, button-down shirts for upper extremity procedures and loose clothing for abdominal surgeries. Your goal is to avoid any unnecessary pressure on sensitive surgery sites.

Wear flat shoes. Slip-on styles are ideal.

Bring proof of identification and your insurance card(s) with you.

Please leave jewelry and other valuables at home.

If you wear contact lenses, you will have to remove them before your surgery so bring your glasses and lens case with solution.

If your young child is the one having surgery, bring a comforting toy or blanket.

A parent or legal guardian must accompany any patient under 18 to sign consent forms and is expected to stay at the hospital while the child is here.

Call the Center for Surgical Optimization and Pre-Operative Services at (603) 740-3298 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with any questions.

Special Precautions

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any change in your health before surgery. Report any minor elevation in temperature, cold symptoms or a cough.

Let your surgeon know if you are a woman of childbearing age and suspect you may be pregnant. Anesthesia and some medications may be harmful to a developing fetus.

Your surgery may be canceled or rescheduled if:

You have not arranged for a responsible adult over the age of 18 to drive you home after surgery. This cannot be a taxi driver unless you have someone, over the age of 18 other than the driver, to accompany you home.

AND/OR

You have not followed the eating and drinking fasting instructions.

When You Arrive

Enter the hospital campus at the traffic light at Central Avenue and Old Rollinsford Road. The South Parking Lot and South Entrance will be on your left.

Park in the South Parking Lot and enter the South Entrance, where the doors open at 5:30 a.m.

Take Elevator 8 or 9, located immediately behind the South Entrance reception area, to the second floor.

Check in at the the reception desk will then call you up, and you will have to present your proof of identification and insurance card.

Our staff will escort you to the Same Day Surgery unit. You are welcome to have one friend or family member over the age of 18 (or both parents/guardians of children) with you in your Same Day Surgery room.

Be prepared. It will make a difference.