Tips for a Quick Recovery
Being informed as a patient or family member can help to alleviate fears
of the unknown and set expectations for a post-surgical experience. Upon
completion of surgery, both inpatients and outpatients are brought to
a recovery room. Once in the recovery room, doctors will begin monitoring
them to determine if they meet certain conditions before being released
to an inpatient room or allowed to leave the hospital. The criterion for
releasing a patient from recovery depends on the type of surgery that
was performed.
Outpatients can typically expect the doctor to wait for anesthesia to wear
off. They will also monitor the patient’s pain levels, ability to
sit-up, stand, walk and urinate. The attending physician will also check
for reactions to anesthesia or extreme pain from the patient which may
result in the need to stay at the hospital. As an inpatient, attending
physicians are monitoring the patient’s respiratory status prior
to releasing the person to their hospital room. Immediate family members
will typically be permitted to join a patient in recovery room to comfort them.
While recovering from surgery, patients should not expect their experience
to be pain free, though their pain should be controlled. It is important
to communicate how you are feeling with your nurses and doctor. Depending
upon your surgery, you may be released to your home or a nursing home
for physical and occupational rehabilitation. Upon discharge, the patient
and family members will receive a list of instructions that will include
medication, wound care, follow-up, and activity instructions. It is imperative
that you follow these instructions, as your doctor may change your existing
medications, limit your activity and expect to see you by a certain timeframe
to check on your recovery.
You should contact your surgeon after surgery if you experience these symptoms:
- A fever of greater than 101 degrees
- Unexplained leg pain
- Unable to eat
- Unable to urinate
- Unable to have a bowel movement
- Bloody or dark stool
- Increasing weakness
- Coughing up or vomiting blood
- Pus, drainage or streaks from the incision site
- Incision site begins to separate
- Unbearable pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Unexpected severe headache
These are steps you can take to maintain your independence at home. If
you have a lot of responsibilities at home, such as cleaning and cooking,
you may want to check with your doctor about performing these same functions
at home during recovery. If you are restricted from these types of activities,
ask for help from family and friends. You can prepare some easy dishes
in advance for meals for your return.