Welcome to the Surgical Program at Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital

What to expect when your child comes for surgery! Preparing you and your child for their surgery at the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital: The Day Before Surgery On the day of Surgery Going Home

The night before surgery your child should NOT… Eat anything after midnight (This includes milk or any liquid you can’t see through) Drink any clear fluids within 2 hours of their operation

On the Day of surgery…. Come to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital at 327 Reynolds Street Visitors parking is available on Reynolds St. south of MacDonald St

Through the main entrance off the Reynolds Street parking lot Enter the hospital ... Through the main entrance off the Reynolds Street parking lot Don’t forget to wash your hands!

Take the elevator to the 2nd floor And follow the arrows on the floor to the Pre-Admission Clinic Pre - Admit

Don’t forget to take a ticket The Pre-Admission Clinic staff will register your child and direct you both to the Surgical Waiting Room

Here a volunteer will help! The volunteer will guide you and your child where to change You can help your child change into the hospital gown

Once your child has changed, the volunteer will then guide you and your child into the Surgical Day Care area where you will be seated to wait for the nurse The volunteer provides a gown.

Then you’ll meet your Surgical Day Care nurse The nurse will ask you and your child if they have had a recent fever, cough or illness The nurse will also take your child’s temperature, pulse, blood pressure and ask you a few other questions

The Operating Room nurse and doctors will come and speak to you and your child where you are seated in the Surgical Day Care Area We encourage children to bring a favorite comforting toy that will go into the Operating Room with them

For your child’s comfort, A numbing cream is applied to your child’s hand for the IV And in the Operating Room sleeping medicine is given through a mask Please add

While in the Waiting Room the tracking board will show where your child is. This information is coded for your privacy Instructions for use are posted by the tracking board

A volunteer will escort you to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) after your child’s surgery You can stay in PACU with your child to provide comfort A PACU nurse will be dedicated to your child’s care and will be able to answer your questions

Some children in the PACU: Wear a mask to help with breathing Have an IV in their arm to give them fluids. The IV will come out before they go home

When your child is fully awake, s/he will go on a stretcher/crib to the Surgical Day Care (SDC) LATER, Your child will be discharged home from SDC

Patient Discharge Information Will be given prior to discharge A date for your child’s follow up visit with their physician will also be provided

Some times the surgeon decides a child should stay overnight for close observation When this happens your child will be brought from Surgical Day Care or PACU to the in-patient pediatric unit

On the Inpatient Pediatric Unit Your child will stay overnight and be discharged the next morning

For children staying over night, Parents are encouraged to participate in care 24/7. Every effort will be made to find a cot for you to sleep in overnight. Visiting for others are 11:00am – 2:00pm and 4:00-8:00pm 2 visitors at a time Please remind visitors NOT to visit if they are unwell! Can parents sleep over with child? What are visiting hours? How many can visit?

Prepare for your child’s return home by Stocking up on clear fluids (drinks you can see through), ice chips, and freezies the night before surgery Getting discharge information and prescriptions if needed before leaving the unit Filling prescriptions before going home “After care- stock up on foods so can be prepared at home”

Helpful Links for children Going to the Hospital @ http://kidshealth.org/kid/feel_better/places/hospital.html?tracking=K_RelatedArticle Things to prepare your child for surgery @ http://surgery.about.com/od/pediatricsurgery/ss/PreparingPeds_4.htm