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WILKES-BARRE VA MEDICAL CENTER SURGERY SERVICE We offer a wide range of surgical services from minor same day surgery procedures to complex procedures involving specialized high-tech

equipment including:  * Accredited Bariatric Surgical Program * Robotic Assisted RYGBP and Sleeve Gastrectomy  * General Surgery * Robotic Assisted Cholecystectomy, Hernia, Colon Resection,

  * Endocrine surgery for thyroid and parathyroid  * General Surgical Procedures * Orthopedic * Robotic Assisted Total Joint Replacement(s) * General Orthopedic Surgery * Ophthalmology *

Cataract * General Ophthalmic Surgery * Urology * Thoracic * Video assisted lung resections  * Other thoracic procedures  * Vascular surgery Have questions prior to your surgery or need to

cancel? Please notify the Short Procedure Unit at 570-824-3521, ex. 24807/24806 NEED TRANSPORTATION AND ACCOMMODATIONS PRIOR TO YOUR SURGERY? Please inform a member of your surgical team

(Surgeon, Physician Assistant, IMPACT Team, or Nurse Navigator)   BEFORE YOUR SURGERY A staff member will call you the business day before your scheduled surgery to confirm and remind you of

your appointment. If you do not receive a phone call the day before your scheduled surgery, call Short Procedure Unit at /24806 or 1-/24806 before 4:30 p.m. If you have any questions about

your pre-operative instructions, or if you are experiencing any change in condition such as the following, please contact the Short Procedure Unit at /24806 or 1-/24806 before 4:30 p.m.  *

Cold * Sore throat * Fever * Skin breakage/infection(s) including cuts, lacerations on the body, etc.   * Falls * Any active illness * If you were admitted to an emergency room or another

hospital between now and your procedure date IMPORTANT REMINDER If you are planning to go home the same day as your surgery, you must have a responsible adult to drive you home. You are

required to present to the Short Procedure Unit check-in window with your responsible adult. *IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A RESPONSIBLE ADULT WITH YOU TO SAFELY TRANSPORT YOU HOME, YOUR SURGERY MAY

BE CANCELLED AND RESCHEDULED TO A TIME THAT THESE REQUIREMENTS CAN BE MET. PREPARING FOR YOUR SURGERY: * Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your procedure. * Do not

smoke, use chewing tobacco, chewing gum, breath mints or cough drops the night before surgery. * Medications can be taken with a few sips of water. * Take your Beta Blocker as scheduled the

day before and the morning of your surgery. * Brushing your teeth or gargling is permitted. * Shower the evening before the procedure using an antibacterial soap such as Dial or Safeguard .

* If you are given a surgical scrub (Betasept/Chlorhexidine) please use it to wash the surgical area the night before and the morning of the surgery as shown and instructed. OTHER REMINDERS

BEFORE YOUR SURGERY: * Do not wear any jewelry, body piercings, wedding rings, makeup or nail polish. * Do not bring any valuables to the hospital. * If you wear contact lenses, glasses or

dentures, bring a storage case to store them during the procedure. * If you will be going home the same day as your surgery, you must have a responsible adult to drive you home. You will be

discharged and required to be picked up from the Short Procedure Unit/4-West. PLEASE ADHERE TO ALL THE ABOVE INSTRUCTIONS TO AVOID DELAY OR CANCELLATION OF YOUR SURGERY. MEDICATION(S)

Medication Instructions:  Please follow your provider's directions on what medications to take. Diabetic Medication Instructions: Please follow the provider's directions on what

diabetic medication to take. *If you feel like your blood sugar is too low, you may drink a CLEAR sweetened liquid or can take glucose tablets even though you were told not to eat or drink

after midnight. Clear liquids include apple juice, tea, Kool aid etc. Be sure to tell the nurse you did this when you arrive for surgery. OTHER SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:  Do not drink alcoholic

beverages 7 days before surgery. Do not take any recreational drugs 10 days before surgery. DAY OF SURGERY When you arrive at the hospital on the morning of your surgery, please proceed to

the 4th floor of the hospital and check into the Short Procedure Unit (SPU) to check in with the Medical Support Assistant at the SPU check-in window. This will notify the nurses that you

are here for your surgery. After you register, have a seat in the waiting room and someone will come out to bring you back to the Short Procedure Unit.  A nurse will obtain family or support

person’s phone number and call them after obtaining and then they will be sent back to the waiting room,  cafeteria, or their own car to wait. A nurse will help you get ready for your

surgery and the anesthesia provider will talk to you about the medicines they will use during the surgery. A member of the anesthesia team will insert an IV tube into a vein in your arm for

you to receive medicine during the procedure. Following your surgery, you will go to the post-anesthesia care unit or recovery room to wake up. The nurses will monitor your blood pressure,

heart rate, surgery site and comfort level.  Once you are completely awake, with no nausea and pain is under control, you will be moved to your own room on the 4th floor or back to the Short

Procedure Unit for discharge to home. THE RECOVERY PROCESS At the conclusion of your surgery, the surgeon may go to the waiting room to give your family member an update on your progress.

Your procedure may be over, but additional time is needed for the anesthesia staff to safely move you to the recovery room. Once you are moved to the Recovery Room, your family member will

be notified. No visitors will be allowed in the Recovery Room.  If you are being admitted, the recovery room nurse will allow you to visit your family or support person during transit to the

your hospital room. VISITATION POLICY No family or support person will be able to wait in the Short Procedure Unit with the patient.   Family or support person should wait in the Waiting

room, Cafeteria or their own vehicle. A nurse will obtain support person’s phone number and call them you are ready for discharge. Registered Nurse will communicate with family support

person.  AFTER YOUR SURGERY You will receive a phone call within 24-96 hours from the VA staff. You will be asked brief questions about your recovery so far, and we will be happy to answer

any questions you may have at that time. We thank you for your time and honesty. If you have questions the day after your surgery, you can call the clinic where you saw your doctor. You may

also call the Short Procedure Unit at /24806 from 7 a.m. to 430 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you have questions after normal business hours, you may call the main facility at  or 1- and

ask the operator to connect you with a member of the on-call surgical team.  GO TO YOUR NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: * Chest Pain * Shortness of

Breath * Large amount of bloody drainage from your incision * Fever higher than 101 degrees * Chills * Uncontrolled pain at the surgical site despite taking pain medication * Cold blue

extremity * New numbness/tingling * Inability to urinate * Difficulty swallowing It is very important for you to see your doctor at a follow up appointment. Please look at your discharge

instructions to note your follow-up appointment. If you need to change the date or time, you can call the clinics at , 27963 or 27964 If you have any questions or concerns about your

surgery, please contact your doctor.  DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS Due to the sedation medication you received, you may experience lightheadedness, dizziness or sleepiness following your procedure

for up to 24 hours. During this timeframe: * Do not stay alone. Be sure to have another family member or responsible adult stay with you. * Do not operate machinery or perform heavy

lifting. * Do not drive any motorized vehicle. * Do not drink any alcoholic beverages. * Do not make important personal or business decisions or sign any legal documents. Following your

surgery, it is important that you rest and follow the instructions provided on your discharge paperwork. CALL THE SHORT PROCEDURE UNIT AT /24807 DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS IF YOU HAVE

DIFFICULTY OR DEVELOP ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: * Fever * Chills * Unrelieved Pain * Bleeding * Drainage * Signs/Symptoms of infection (redness, swelling) * Unrelieved nausea and

vomiting If you develop any of the above symptoms after normal business hours, please call the main facility at  or 1- and ask the operator to connect you with a member of the on-call

surgical team.  GO TO YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM OR CALL 911 IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: * Chest Pain * Shortness of Breath * Large amount of bloody drainage from

your incision * Fever higher than 101 degrees * Chills * Uncontrolled pain at the surgical site despite taking pain medication * Cold blue extremity * New numbness/tingling * Inability to

urinate * Difficulty swallowing OUTPATIENT PHARMACY