What to expect after your surgery

 

The Recovery Room

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After your surgery you will be moved to the recovery room, here you will be monitored carefully as you wake up from the anesthesia, the anesthetist will decide when you are ready to be taken to the ward from the recovery room.

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The Ward

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Once you are back in the ward from the recovery unit the nursing staff will come check on you help you change and asses your vital signs, wound site and make sure your pain is kept under control. You will receive a daily visit from the doctors involved with your care during your hospital admission, in some instances further specialist may become involved after your procedure for example: physiotherapist, dieticians, physicians. Your diet, wound care ,pain management and therapy will all be managed during your stay.

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Visitors

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Mediclinic Cape Town offers flexible visiting hours from 9am - 8 pm with a resting period between 1pm - 3pm, always enquirer with the nursing station beforehand as there may be times when visitors not permitted due to procedures been carried out.

 

Restriction on the amount of visitors are

• 3 per general wards.

• 2 per critical care units.

• 1 per a day procedure case carried out in the day ward or the Doctors practice. 

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Phones must be kept on silent and volume to a minimum as many patients are resting as part of their recovery. 

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During the Covid pandemic visitors are allowed according to the number of active cases in the area, please check the latest Mediclinic guidelines before you are admitted.

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Being discharged

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On your day of discharge, the doctor and nursing staff will give you information and instructions for your home post-operative care, if there is anything you are unsure of be sure to ask and have it re-explained, in some cases it is advisable to have a family member involved in your care present so that both of you have the information.

 

Some patients may be transferred to a step down facility from the hospital as they may require extra monitoring or therapy that is not available at home. 

 

You will be issued a TTO (to take out) this is medication prescribed by your doctors to take home. It is important to finish any course of medication prescribed. Make sure you get the medication you are prescribed from the pharmacy at Mediclinic, or request a script to collect it from the pharmacy of your choice

 

Specific to your procedure you may be given wound care instructions on your discharge. Plese make sure you understand how to perform said wound care and that you have everything you need at home from the pharmacy.

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Follow up

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You will be given a follow up date if indicated after your admission.  Depending on the procedure you have had, you may need to come back for further tests, medication, wound care assessment and post-operative consultation. Make sure you note all the dates of appointments and have all the contact information for the hospital and the doctors involved in your care.  If you are unsure about anything, please don't hesitate to call the practice or just pop us an e-mail.