Preparing for Surgery at Gettysburg Hospital

Gettysburg Hospital appreciates you turning to us to have your surgery.  In order to help make for a more pleasant experience for our patients, we encourage you to review the information below regarding surgery preparation and your stay in the hospital's Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU).

What to expect prior to surgery

• You will be contacted by someone from registration approximately one week prior to your scheduled surgery.
• A representative of pre-hospital assessment is available to sit down with you face to face at our Pre-Admission Center located at 450 S. Washington Street, Gettysburg Pa. Our hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you do not choose to visit our Pre Admission Center and have not received a phone call from the Pre-Admission Center nurse within 72 hours of your surgery, please call the department at 717-339-2019. 
• A representative of the ACU will contact you the evening before your surgery, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., to go over any last minute details and provide you with your time to report to the hospital for your surgery.

Pre-hospital admission information

A representative of pre-hospital assessment services will go over the following information with you:

• Directions to the hospital, the parking lot and the ACU.
• Personal belonging - We recommend the patient leaves personal belongings in the car and the items are brought to the patient's room once the room has been assigned.
• Specific information about your procedure
• ACU expectations - Including checking of vital signs, information verification and obtaining hospital consent; In the holding room prior to the surgical suite, an IV will be inserted and you may have the possibility of an antibiotic.
• Anesthesia information - An anesthesiologist will review the process; you will be asked to sign a consent form for anesthesia after reviewing and understanding the information. Anesthesia Associates does not participate with all insurance plans; Contact Anesthesia Associates directly at 1-800-827-3458 to find out if they participate with your insurance plan.
• Recovery Room (PACU) expectations - To determine your progress, you may be asked to cough, breathe deeply and do leg exercises. During your stay, you will be monitored closely. Your pain level will be assessed and you will be provided pain control options and incisional splinting. It may be necessary to examine the health of your lungs via incentive spirometry. In addition, a foley catheter to help you urinate and/or compression devices on your legs to help with circulation and prevent blood clots.
• Discharge - If your surgery is an outpatient surgery, you must have someone pick you up from the hospital and take you home, as you will not be allowed to drive for 24 hours. You will be provided with any post-surgery dietary restrictions and information on physical activity levels after surgery. 
• Family waiting area - You will be provided with information as to where your family members may wait during the surgery and how family will be notified when the surgery has finished. 

Pre-surgery Information

• You may not have alcohol after 6 p.m. on the evening prior to the surgery or procedure.
• You may not have solid foods after midnight the evening prior to surgery or procedure. However, you may have clear liquids up until two hours prior to arrival at the hospital, unless you have been told otherwise by the physician's office.
• You may take certain medications with a small amount of water the morning of the surgery or procedure, based on the guidelines you will be provided with by Anesthesia.
• You may not smoke after midnight prior to the surgery or procedure.
• You must remove all jewelry, including all body piercings and body spacers. Make-up, lotions, powders, perfumes, hair spray and hair gel are also not allowed. Nail polish must be removed. However, acrylics and gels may be left on. You may not wear deodorant.
• You are encouraged to bring nothing of value to the ACU and to wear comfortable clothing.
• You should bring a list of all medications you are currently taking along with the correct dosages for each to the ACU. Also, you should bring eye drops, inhalers, nasal sprays and topical ointments you use on a regular basis. 
• Upon arrival at the hospital, you will be provided with a hospital gown. An intravenous line will be inserted in your arm in order to give you fluids and antibiotics.

Minor patients

If the patient is a minor, a parent or guardian should remain in the waiting room in case they are needed by the surgeon or the recovery room.