Outpatient Surgery Center Tour

The Post-Operative/Goodbye Area

You will come to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) on a stretcher. Your vital signs will be monitored closely by the nursing staff and you will begin to recover from your anesthesia.

Your stay in the PACU area will be determined by the type of anesthesia you received and your overall post operative course. Before leaving the PACU area, the nursing staff will make sure you are able to sit up without being dizzy and are able to respond to questions.

Your pain level will be monitored in the PACU. During your pre-operative education, you were educated on the pain scale Commonwealth uses. During the post-operative period, your nurse will ask you about your pain and discuss with you various options for pain management. The nursing staff will obtain instructions from the medical staff for pain management. Your surgeon, anesthesiologist and nursing staff design your pain management specific to your needs.

The Goodbye area is your last stop in the Surgical Suite. You and your family will be reunited in this room. You will be offered fluids and when appropriate, your nurse will provide postoperative instructions to you and your caregiver. You will then be discharged via a wheelchair from the Surgical Suite.

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