Preoperative and Postoperative Care

Preoperative and Postoperative Care

Being in as good health as possible before you have surgery can make a big difference to your recovery following surgery, although that can sometimes be difficult if you're having a surgical procedure due to an ongoing illness or condition. Prior to having your surgical procedure, you should be aware of what support needs to be in place when you leave the hospital, and you should always endeavour to have that organized in advance.

However, that isn't always possible, and sometimes emergency home care needs to be arranged so that your recovery can continue as soon as you arrive back home. Fortunately, we can have a carer in your home within 24 hours, so if you are being discharged quicker than you anticipated or your circumstances have changed, we will be able to support you from the moment you arrive home.

Postoperative care is the type of care given after a surgical procedure. The type of postoperative care you will receive will depend on the type of surgery you have had, alongside your general overall health – often including wound care, pain management, and day-to-day support at home. This begins in the hospital and then can often continue after you've been discharged and returned home.

Your doctor should give you comprehensive instructions before you're discharged regarding what to expect upon returning home, and we have a Clinical Nurse Specialist in every area who can be called on for advice and help with all your medical needs. But it's also important to ask questions or to have someone ask questions on your behalf if necessary. Useful questions to ask can include things like:

What medications or other supplies will I need when I go home?
Will I need the support of a caregiver or physiotherapist at home?

How can I aid my recovery? Are there things I should do or avoid?
How long will it take for me to be fully recovered?

It may be difficult for doctors to answer the last question as the body's ability to recover will depend on many factors, yet they may be able to give you an approximation based on how much support you have in place and previous levels of health, for instance.