Surgery is a complicated and scary procedure, right?
Wrong!
While there is a lot to think about, we’ve shared our tips for preparing for surgery to help you feel ready and relaxed.
While it’s normal to focus on the procedure and recovery, there’s a crucial step before surgery that can significantly impact your outcome: pre-habilitation.
You might not have heard of it before but pre-habilitation, or “pre-hab,” refers to the proactive steps you take to strengthen your body and mind before surgery. This process can help reduce complications, speed up recovery, and improve your overall health.
Taking time to focus on pre-hab before surgery can make all the difference. It can mean a more comfortable hospital visit while helping to avoid any unnecessary cancellations.
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Surgery preparation checklist
From managing stress to getting your home ready for your recovery, preparing for surgery isn’t just about the day of the operation. The key is to give yourself the tools to bounce back stronger.
Here are our top surgery tips on how to prepare for an operation:
1. Travel arrangements and getting home after surgery
You won’t be able to drive immediately after surgery, so don’t forget to make travel arrangements. If you’re relying on friends, family, or a taxi service, remember to give them plenty of notice.1 If you’re having your surgery at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Barlborough, we can take care of the transport too with our Patient Transport Service.
2. Booking a hotel room
This is a great idea, especially if your surgery is scheduled for early in the morning. Let’s face it, fighting with traffic isn’t going to be high on your list of priorities on the morning of your procedure. Staying in a hotel after surgery is also good preparation. If you’ve travelled a long way for your procedure, a night spent relaxing in a hotel room is going to be more comfortable than transport back home.
3. Packing for surgery
If you are staying in hospital overnight or for a few days, make a list of all the things you might need. The list below contains items you may want to include:
nightwear
day clothes
underwear
a dressing gown and slippers
a small hand towel and toiletries
sanitary products
books or magazines
a small amount of cash
your regular medication and the doses you take
glasses or contact lenses if you use them
a long cable so you can charge your phone.
When you’re booked in for your treatment, the hospital will write to you with details and guidelines on your surgery preparation and what to bring with you on the big day.
4. Preparing for surgery – diet and wellness
Be as well as you can be. This is good advice for life in general but research has shown that patients who maintain a reasonable level of fitness before their procedure have better surgical outcomes. Even moderate exercise before surgery can help. Try to do what you can and take advice from your GP if you’re not sure.
It depends on the specific surgery you’re having but it’s likely your doctor will advise you to stop eating and drinking for a specified period of time before your operation. We know it’s tricky but don’t be tempted by the fridge. Light snacks, sweets, and sometimes drinking water are off the cards. It may sound serious but not following these instructions could result in your operation being cancelled.
There are surgery-specific reasons for temporarily fasting too. For example, having an empty stomach greatly reduces the risk of vomiting under anaesthetic.
6. Medication
As part of your pre-operative assessment, you will have been asked about any allergies you have and whether you have a family history of issues with anaesthetic. If you have been told to stop taking any regular medication (including HRT medication) you must do so. It may sound serious but not following these instructions could result in your operation being cancelled.
If you’re unsure about whether you should continue taking current medication, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask.
7. Hygiene
As with checklist item number four, practising good hygiene is good general life advice. Before your big day, remember to remove all body piercings, makeup, and nail polish. Take the opportunity to treat yourself to a nice long soak in the tub. Not only will it make you feel refreshed and relaxed, it will also helps the medical team to see your nails and skin so they can check your blood circulation.
8. Taking care of your skin
Try to avoid bites, scrapes, and scratches. One of the many functions of the skin is to act as a barrier to infection. It keeps out the sort of bacteria which can enter the bloodstream and cause problems with a new hip joint, a replaced knee or other implants.
This is why it’s important to avoid damaging it before your operation. Infected eczema, psoriasis, leg ulcers or other open wounds could also lead to your operation being delayed.
If you damage your skin before surgery or you have a flare-up of a skin condition between your pre-operation assessment and your treatment, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
9. Preparing for surgery mentally
Some wise old soul once said: “A problem shared is a problem halved.” While not necessarily mathematically accurate, the advice does hold true; if you’re anxious, please don’t be afraid to speak up.
The majority of people experience a certain amount of anxiety before an operation, but if you are really anxious, don’t be afraid to contact the hospital to let them know. They will be able to provide all manner of advice and information to help allay your fears. Most will even invite you to visit the hospital beforehand to meet the team and familiarise yourself with the care environment.
10. Arranging home help after surgery
Remember to let your friends and family know about your hospital’s visiting hours and let them have a contact number just in case. The details for our hospitals are available on our dedicated Contact us page.
If a family member or friend is taking you home when you are well enough to be discharged, make sure they know when and in plenty of time for them to be free to help. Arranging home help is particularly important when preparing for an elderly parent’s surgery.
11. Arranging for childcare
Just as with most things in life, everyone is different. That goes for recovering from surgery too. Depending on the type of surgery you need, along with your age and fitness levels, you might recover slower than you initially thought. And if you have young children (or grandchildren), it’s a good idea to arrange for more childcare than you think you’ll need.
A support network of friends and relatives can be extremely useful in offering transport and supervisory care for your children. If they aren’t available for a period of time, don’t take the chance on your mobility.
12. Stocking up your fridge
And now for our favourite item on the list: stocking up the fridge with food! One of the great innovations of our time has undoubtedly been the dawn of home food delivery. This modern marvel brings all your weekly food and drink needs to your doorstep without having to visit a supermarket in-person. If you’re preparing for surgery, now would be a good time to enlist the services of Ocado (other delivery services are available).
Arrange for a delivery on the day you’re discharged to ensure you’ve got something to eat or drink. If you have friends and family, ask them to help you unpack your shopping when it arrives as you may not be mobile enough to do it yourself.
13. Preparing your home
If you have a date for your surgery, start to prepare right away. Removing hazards from your home (i.e. loose rugs and cables) to prevent falling, placing items within reach, and clearing space for walking with crutches are all good ideas for preparation.
14. Pain management
Anti-inflammatory medication can help significantly. They can help patients manage pain – particularly of damaged joints. This can allow for carrying out daily activities and maintaining a level of fitness.
In the time leading up to (and indeed, after) your surgery, you should make sure you’ve got enough medication stored. This will eliminate the risk of running out at what could be an important time in your recovery.
With that said, the frequency of medication consumption should be monitored. Ask your GP or consultant for advice on how often you should self-medicate.
15. If you need to cancel
We understand that, while important, life can just get in the way. So, if for whatever reason you are unable to come to hospital for your surgery, please let the medical team know as soon as possible. Coughs, colds, and illness in general are unavoidable, but if you become unwell in the days before your surgery, please give us a call. We’ll be able to reschedule your treatment to a time that’s better for you.
Questions to ask when preparing for surgery
Below is a list of important questions to ask your healthcare professional before your surgery:
What are the potential short and long term side effects of the surgery?
How can I reduce the risk?
How do I know if surgery is right for me?
How do I get a diagnosis?
What happens during my surgery?
What are the pros and cons of general surgery?
Are there any alternative treatments instead of surgery?
What happens if I delay surgery?
How do I choose a surgeon?
How healthy do I need to be before surgery?
Will my insurance cover my surgery?
How can I pay for my surgery?
What should I eat the day before knee replacement surgery?
Hear from our expert: “The main things you can do to mentally prepare for cataract surgery are research, follow pre-operative advice, and concentrate on reducing any anxiety.“
The things to avoid before your surgery will depend on the type of surgery you are having and the advice of your healthcare provider. However, there are a few things you should definitely avoid.
For example, you should avoid doing any activity that might lead to you damaging the skin around the affected area. Surgeons need healthy, undamaged skin to perform the operation. If you’ve recently cut, scraped, or have a wound around the affected area, please get in touch. While we can’t wait to welcome you through our doors, we do need to make sure it’s safe to do so.
Surgery preparation timeline
Once you’ve got your date for surgery, it’s time to start getting ready. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve got months or days to go, take a look at the following sections to help ensure you’re as relaxed and prepared as possible.
How to prepare: months before surgery
If there are a few months before your surgery, you might want to consider the following:
strengthen and condition your body prior to surgery. Try to remain as physically active and mobile as possible
maintain a healthy weight. This will reduce the amount of stress that will be put on an affected joint post surgery
try to start making some healthy lifestyle changes. For example, if you smoke, this would be a great time to quit.
How to prepare: weeks before surgery
In the weeks before your big day, you should:
book time off work (if needed)
make sure you’re informed and understand what will happen during surgery, the potential risks and aftercare requirements
ensure you have had all the necessary blood tests and examinations
be sure to attend your pre-operative assessment where you might be given important medical tests to check your eligibility for surgery.
How to prepare: days before surgery
With just days to go, you should try to:
avoid doing any activity that might lead to you damaging the skin around the affected area
How to get ready for surgery on the day of your operation
Here we go, it’s the big day! We’re so excited to give you a big Practice Plus Group welcome and from your point of view, you should:
wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing
remember to bring belongings and things you need for your time with us.
Choosing the right hospital for surgery
At Practice Plus Group Hospitals we’re passionate about giving patients a positive experience and excellent clinical outcomes, with personalised care every step of the way. Whether you’re using self-pay healthcare or private medical insurance, with our short waiting times, unrivalled Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings and high levels of cleanliness and infection control, we’ll make sure you’re looked after.
Naomi is the lead physiotherapist and manager in Plymouth. She trained at Keele University receiving honours and a distinction for the highest clinical mark in her year. She has worked across Occupational Health, Sports, Care of the Elderly and is a trained Pilates Level 3 Pilates instructor. She specialises in musculoskeletal disorders and has led on peri-operative initiatives across the Practice Plus Group.
