Editor’s Note: This story is Part 1 of a 4-part series about surgery. Part 2 will cover the pre-operative process, Part 3 will cover anesthesia and Part 4 will cover post-surgery.

When a surgery is scheduled, a flurry of behind-the-scenes work begins. One important part is a pre-admission testing call from a nurse at the hospital.

“Part of our job with pre-admission testing is to screen people and make sure they’re able to proceed,” said Roberta Flanigan, a registered nurse who supports pre-admission testing at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. “It all boils down to helping make sure they’re safe to have the procedure they’re scheduled for.”

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Flanigan outlines what’s covered in pre-admission testing calls below.

Patient verification: As with most every interaction with hospital staff, patients are first asked to verify information such as their name, date of birth and procedure. Though it may feel repetitive, this step is an important part of ensuring safety through the process.

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Review medical history: Before making a call, Flanigan reviews a patient’s lab tests, health conditions and other medical history, and brings any concerns to the anesthesiologist to help determine whether a patient needs further screenings.

Flanigan encourages patients to let their surgeon know if they have had health events or changes before surgery. “Sometimes people are scheduled so far out that things crop up,” Flanigan said.

Review allergies: Identifying allergies ahead of time is important to help avoid both adverse reactions and delays. For instance, if a patient getting a joint replacement has a metal allergy, staff will ensure the proper prosthetic is available for surgery. If a metal allergy is identified the morning of surgery, there’s a chance the procedure would need to be postponed.

“It’s a big psychological thing to be prepared for surgery, and if you come in and have to cancel, that’s tough,” Flanigan said. “Part of our job is to really try to avoid things like that happening.”

Review current medications: Flanigan encourages patients to prepare a list of their medications to review during the call and to bring to the hospital on the day of surgery.

Don’t forget to list supplements, as even common ones such as multivitamins or fish oil could contribute to issues such as bleeding.

“We’ll give instructions on which medications to continue or to hold, and the timeframe for doing so before the procedure,” said Flanigan.

Discuss the time of surgery: “That’s really the main thing people want to know about,” Flanigan said. “It’s a big deal to coordinate and schedule their lives, especially if they’re traveling from another region.”

Flanigan reminds patients that since surgery schedules can be dynamic, their surgery time may sometimes change. It’s important to provide a current phone number and email address so they’re easy to reach if needed.

Outline steps to take before surgery: Details on when to stop eating and drinking are provided, and patients are often given instructions for what to do before surgery, such as bathing with an antibacterial soap.

“Reducing risk of infection for the patient and everybody else is very important,” Flanigan said.

If you will need to stay in the hospital overnight, don’t forget to bring anything needed on a regular basis, such as a CPAP machine for sleep apnea.

Outline what’s needed after surgery: Flanigan emphasizes that patients must have a ride home from an adult they know after the procedure. She also outlines what they can expect after the procedure.

“Another part of the psychological preparation is to expect there’s going to be some discomfort after certain procedures, and that people know who to contact if they have issues,” Flanigan said.

Keep in mind that it’s important to give your body time to recover afterward.

“You are not going to feel like you felt before surgery right away,” Flanigan said. “It might be that the biggest thing you do all day is take a shower. For a lot of people, it does take some time to bounce back.”

Susan Cunningham writes for UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. She can be reached at cunninghamsbc@gmail.com.