Day of your operation
Mr Francis Ting operates at Southern Cross Hospital, New Plymouth and Taranaki Base Hospital. We will confirm with you the date and site of surgery. You will be informed of the time to present to hospital the day before surgery.
You must not eat or drink anything except for clear water for at least 6 hours prior to surgery, so that you have a safe anaesthetic. Generally, you can drink small amounts of clear water up to 2 hours before your surgery. These instructions will be included in your Southern Cross pre-operative information pack.
Once you arrive at hospital, please check in at reception and you will be guided to the right area. The nurse will complete your admission paperwork, help you change into a hospital gown and get you ready for surgery. You will wait for your operation on the ward if you are an overnight inpatient or in the day stay unit if your surgery does not require you to stay overnight. You are more than welcome to bring a support person, but unfortunately they will not be able to accompany you into the operating suite. It is normal to feel a little anxious on the day of your operation, but if you feel overwhelmed, please inform staff and we will try to help.
in the pre-operative area
Before your operation, you will see Mr Francis Ting, his Anaesthetist and surgical team. You may have further questions which were not previously answered. Feel free to make a list as you may not remember them on the day and we will be more than happy to answer them.
Mr Francis Ting will discuss the consenting process, review and confirm your operation details and mark the surgical site with a surgical marker pen. Mr Francis Ting works with several expert anaesthetist and they will explain the anaesthetic options available to you. For some surgeries, a special regional anaesthetic block in addition to general anaesthesia may be recommended to help with post-operative pain relief. You will have a drip or cannula (tube) placed in your arm so medication can be given.
in the operating room
You will be wheeled into the operating room on your hospital bed, where the surgical team will look after you. The team includes the operating theatre nurses, anaesthetist, anaesthetic technician, surgical assistant and Mr Francis Ting. Once everything is set up, you will be given your anaesthetic and your surgery will be underway once all the appropriate checks are completed.
In recovery
After your operation, you will be transferred to the recovery room. Nursing staff will check on you frequently, closely monitoring your condition to make sure you are safe and comfortable. Mr Francis Ting will inform you of how your surgery went, details will be brief as not to overwhelm you with information and often post anaesthesia, patients struggle to retain information. When staff are satisfied that you have recovered safely from your operation and anaesthetic, you will be returned to the ward (or day stay unit) and your family will be informed that surgery was completed.
On returning to the ward
Depending on the time of your operation, we encourage you to get out of your bed on the same day or it may be the day after. You can expect the following to happen immediately post-op:
Your condition will be monitored regularly.
You will be encouraged to drink and eat as soon as you are able to.
Your wound dressings will be checked.
Mr Francis Ting will visit you at the end of his operating day to go through the details of the operation and ongoing recovery.
A physiotherapist may see you to demonstrate some exercises.
