When you arrive at Bowen, you will be greeted at reception and then taken to your room and introduced to the nurse who will care for you.

Before your operation you will be asked to shower using a medicated soap (there may be a few exceptions to this) and change into a special theatre gown. You may also be given a 'pre-medication' before going to the operating theatre. A 'pre-medication' is a tablet or tablets to relax you if you are nervous, or to help with your pain relief after the operation.

You will be accompanied to the operating theatre by your nurse and, once your surgery is complete, our recovery room staff will take care of you until you are ready to return to your room.

We welcome enquiries from you and your support people about your treatment at any time.

Children

If you are a parent or caregiver, you may stay with your child overnight if you wish. Please discuss this with our admissions staff as soon as possible.

For day-stay surgery, if your child is under 16 years of age, lunch is available for one accompanying adult free of charge.

Other meals are available on request for a small fee.

We encourage children to bring their favourite toys with them and to visit us in advance of their admission so that the hospital will be familiar when they are admitted.

Accompanying your child to the operating theatre

In order to reduce separation anxiety in children over the age of twelve months, a parent or caregiver may stay with their child while the child is anaesthetised, provided that both the surgeon and the anaesthetist agree to this. You will be asked to change into appropriate hospital supplied clothes.

Once your child is anaesthetised you will be shown out of the theatre area and back to your room. Please use the ward kitchen to make yourself a hot drink while awaiting the return of your child.

You should not feel pressured in any way to go into theatre. We realise that parents or caregivers need to feel comfortable about going in, and children do often cope remarkably well with just the theatre nurses and doctors. As an alternative, parents or caregivers may accompany their child into the reception area of theatre without getting changed.

After the operation your child will be monitored in the recovery area of theatre. The recovery staff will keep your child only as long as necessary to ensure that they have properly recovered from their anaesthetic and that their condition is safe for them to be returned to their room. It is hospital policy not to allow parents into the recovery area as this compromises the privacy of other patients. However, if it is in the best interests of your child, the recovery staff may request that you sit with your child in the recovery unit.