The day before the operation
As already mentioned above, you come to the hospital the day before the operation and at the time set by the receptionist. As soon as you arrive, go to reception to complete the admission formalities. You must present your health insurance card. It is mandatory and must be valid. You must also present your hospital card. The citizenship card or immigrant certificate received is required for non-residents. If you have private insurance, bring the necessary documentation.
The reception staff then tells you which treatment unit to go to and assigns you a room. The nurse explains the course of the evening and the next day to you. She provides you with the appropriate care.
If this was not done during the assessment, an evaluation questionnaire is given to you or completed with you. Do not be surprised if, as soon as you arrive, you are already told about your return home. This is in order to ensure that everything is well planned and in the best possible conditions for you.
The doctor may not be there when you arrive, so you will meet the medical team the next morning.
The day before the operation, it is strongly recommended to have only a light supper, a soup for example. A large meal combined with taking laxatives can cause nausea.
You take a laxative on the evening of your arrival to promote complete stool evacuation. This laxative is a liquid taken orally, such as Golyte or Fleet Oral, or an enema given rectally.
Depending on the doctor’s prescription, an infusion (solution, serum) can be installed.
The nurse will teach you how to perform certain breathing exercises with or without a device called a spirometer. It is strongly recommended to practice these exercises the day before to master them well after the operation.
You are also taught how to roll over in bed and how to get up after the operation. These mobilization techniques limit stretching in the stomach, so as to cause as little discomfort as possible.
Depending on the type of surgery, shaving the pubis or the entire perineum area may be required.
Finally, the nurse will educate you on the various forms of pain relief available after the operation, including the benefits of “patient-controlled analgesia” (PCA). This method of pain relief allows the person to be operated on to self-administer a small dose of medication when they experience pain.
You also sign the operative consent and the anesthesia consent, if you haven’t already done so.
During the evening, the nurse asks you to remove your nail polish if you wear it, to avoid smoking, to stop drinking and eating from midnight. If you must take medication, a minimum of water is allowed.
Before going to bed, the nurse suggests medication to help you sleep. It is not mandatory and it is up to you to judge if you need it.
It is suggested that you do not bring valuables (credit cards, money, jewelry) to the hospital. If you have any, tell the nurse so she can notify security personnel who will put them in a safe place. Expect a fee if you plan to pick up newspapers or watch TV during your stay.