Assessing your health
If there have been any recent changes in your health, please ensure that your surgeon, anaesthetist or Bowen nursing staff is advised at the earliest opportunity. For example, if you develop a cold, flu, infection, vomiting, diarrhoea, laceration, appearance of a skin infection or suffer an asthma attack prior to your admission to hospital, you should let one of the above know as soon as possible, as it may be necessary to postpone your operation.
Medications
You will have discussed with your specialist any regular medications you are taking. Please bring all your usual medications in the original containers to hospital with you, including herbal and dietary supplements.
A detailed list from your general practitioner will help our doctors chart the correct medications for you.
If you are being admitted on the day of your surgery, continue to take your regular medications as prescribed unless advised otherwise.
Patients on anticoagulants need to take special care.
Any anticoagulants (drugs that reduce blood clotting) for example Warfarin should not be taken prior to surgery without consulting your specialist.
Aspirin or Disprin
Is usually, but not always, discontinued in the week prior to surgery. Please check with your specialist.
Failure to stop taking your anticoagulant medications as advised could result in your surgery being postponed.
Eating and drinking before your anaesthetic
If you are undergoing surgery, your stomach must be empty and therefore it is very important to ask your specialist whether you should fast (neither eat nor drink, which includes chewing gum and sweets) before admission, and from what time. Here are some general guidelines, but you will receive specific instructions from your specialist:
-
Adults and children over 2 years
Do not eat anything for 6 hours before your admission time. You may drink WATER freely up until 2 hours before your admission, then nothing more.
Cow’s milk or formula may be taken up to 6 hours prior to admission time, and breast milk up to 4 hours before admission. WATER only may be drunk up to 2 hours before admission.
These instructions are for your safety and well-being. Please follow them closely. If your surgeon or anaesthetist gives you other instructions, you must comply with them. Your operation may have to be postponed if you do not follow these guidelines.
The night before and on the day of your surgery
-
Take extra care of your body.
-
Do not shave near where you will be having surgery. Shaving can irritate your skin and this may lead to infection.
-
Keep warm. Wear warm clothes to the hospital and, in cold weather, heat up the car before you get in. Keeping warm before surgery can lower your chance of getting an infection.
-
Please do not apply moisturisers or hair gel and remove make-up, nail polish, body piercings and jewellery. Make-up and moisturisers interfere with and, in some cases, block transmission of important operating-room equipment.
-
If applicable, please leave your medic alert bracelet / pendant on.
Alcohol, cigarettes and drugs
We recommend that you avoid alcohol, cigarettes and drugs (other than your prescribed drugs) during the 24 hours prior to your admission.
|
