Following Your Surgery

The following information will help you to understand what to expect following your surgery.

Your physician may have additional information for you that specifically pertains to your surgery. Please make sure to follow any instructions you are given.

If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them with your physician or a member of the Sierra Surgery Hospital staff.

• Pain.
  It is normal to feel some pain after your procedure. To minimize the pain after an orthopedic procedure, ice and elevation of the affected extremity will help minimize swelling. You will be asked several times during your stay to evaluate your pain level. The nurse and doctor will ask you to rate your pain on a scale of one to ten, with ten being very severe pain. This number is used to determine how much pain medication you require.
  
  • If you are given a pain medication prescription before your surgery, get it filled before your surgery. Stay on top of your pain by taking the pain medication when you are first aware of pain. 
  • Remember to eat before taking pain medications to avoid nausea. 
  • If the pain medication that your surgeon prescribed does not improve your pain, contact your surgeon. 
  • If your surgeon did not prescribe any pain medication, you may take non-prescription, non-aspirin pain medication which can be purchased over the counter.
    
• Wait at least 24 hours after you arrive home to do any of the following:
  
  • Drive 
  • Operate equipment 
  • Sign important papers 
  • Make important decisions 
  • Drink alcoholic beverages 
  • Take medicine not prescribed or approved by your surgeon
    
• Visitors.
  We have a separate lobby for visitors to wait while the patient is in surgery. Within this lobby, there is a monitor which allows the visitor to keep track of where the patient is at all times. Upon check-in, the visitor will be given a number that corresponds to the patient. Visitors will be able to see the patient in the recovery room after the patient has recovered.
• Overnight Stay.
  Visitors are allowed throughout the night, although we ask that visitors allow the patient to rest as much as possible. Each room has a telephone, cable television, wireless Internet and a private bathroom. You will be moved into your room a couple of hours after your surgery. 
  
•  Symptoms to Report to Your Surgeon Immediately.
  
  • Excessive swelling of or around the wound area. 
  • If your surgery was on an arm or leg, report any excessive swelling of that hand, arm, foot or leg. 
  • Temperature of 101F or higher 
  • Excessive pain 
  • Excessive bleeding
• Our nurses will call you at home to see how you are doing a couple of days after your surgery.