Preparing for Surgery - Regina
If you are having surgery in Regina, your health-care team will provide instructions to help you prepare. Your instructions may vary depending on your health and the type of surgery you are having.
Always follow the instructions provided by your surgeon or health-care team if they are different from the general information below.
Pre-Admission Clinic
The Pre-Admission Clinic (PAC) is an outpatient clinic that helps patients prepare for surgery.
Not everyone needs a PAC appointment. Whether you need an appointment depends on your health, the type of surgery you are having and your surgeon's plan.
If you need an appointment, the Pre-Admission Clinic will contact you with the details. Your appointment may be:
- in person
- by video using Sask Virtual Visit
- by telephone
Your PAC appointment helps your health-care team learn about your health, identify any concerns before surgery and make sure you are prepared for your surgery and recovery.
Appointments usually take 1 to 3 hours. You are encouraged to bring a support person or personal coach.
Your appointment may include:
- a review of your medical history, including past surgeries
- checking your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, breathing and oxygen level
- reviewing your medications and providing instructions about which medications to take before surgery
- information about what to expect on the day of surgery
- blood tests, if ordered
- an electrocardiogram (ECG) to check your heart, if needed
- consultations with other health-care providers, such as Internal Medicine, Anesthesiology, Physiotherapy, Speech-Language Pathology or Ostomy Care
- all medications in their original containers or bubble packs, including prescription and non-prescription medications, vitamins, herbal products, traditional medicines and supplements
- a list of your medical conditions and past surgeries
The day before surgery
A Day Surgery nurse will call you the day before your surgery to confirm your surgery time and review important information.
If you miss the call and receive a message, call back as soon as possible.
Eating and drinking before surgery
Unless your health-care team gives you different instructions:
- Do not eat food after midnight the night before surgery.
- You may drink clear fluids until 2 hours before surgery. Clear fluids include water, clear juice, black coffee or tea without milk or sugar.
- On the morning of your surgery, do not have mints, candy, throat lozenges or chewing tobacco.
- Take your medications as instructed. If you were not given special instructions, take them as usual.
- Bring all your medications to the hospital in their original containers.
- Do not drink alcohol or use vaping products, marijuana or recreational drugs for 24 hours before surgery.
- If you use a CPAP machine, bring it with you, even if you do not use it every night.
- Remove makeup, jewelry and body piercings before coming to the hospital.
- Have a bath or shower and wash your hair the night before or morning of your surgery.
- Do not shave, wax or trim hair near the surgery area for 7 days before surgery, unless your health-care team tells you otherwise.
- Leave valuables at home, including jewelry, large amounts of money and credit cards.
On the day of your surgery
Arrive at the hospital 2 hours before your surgery time, unless you are told otherwise.
- Go to Admitting to register.
- After registering, go to the Day Surgery Department on the second floor.
- You will already be pre-registered, so you do not need to stop at Admitting.
- Go directly to the Day Surgery Department on the second floor.
After your surgery
After surgery, you will usually go to the Recovery Room while you wake up from anesthesia and are monitored by your health-care team.
- A family member or support person you identified before surgery will receive updates by phone.
- Family can visit once you have been moved to the inpatient unit.
- Your support person will be notified when you return to Day Surgery.
- Nurses will continue to care for you and provide instructions for your recovery at home.
- You may be offered water or a popsicle before you leave.
- You will be helped to take a short walk to make sure you are ready to go home.
- Your support person will be asked to get a wheelchair from the main floor for your discharge.
Going home after surgery
Before coming to the hospital, make arrangements for:
- someone to pick you up after surgery
- a responsible adult to stay with you for the first 24 hours after surgery
If you do not have these arrangements in place, your surgery may need to be postponed.
Before you leave the hospital, your health-care team will provide instructions for your recovery and follow-up care.
If you need to cancel your surgery, contact the appropriate service as soon as possible.
Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Contact your surgeon's office, or
- Surgical Waitlist Inquiry at 1-866-622-0222
After 4 p.m., before 7:30 a.m. or on weekends
If you need to cancel surgery scheduled for the next day, leave a message at the facility where you are having surgery
- Pasqua Hospital: 306-766-2738
- Regina General Hospital: 306-766-4526
- Regina Surgical Centre: 306-522-3282
Pre Admission Clinic and Day Surgery Departments in Regina
7:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
306-766-0400
6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
306-766-2738
6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
306-766-4526
