Surgery

The operation can be performed under general or local anaesthetic.

On the day of admission patient reports to the surgical ward where they are triaged by a nurse and prepared for theatre. The surgeon and anesthetist are thereafter informed of the patients’ arrival.

Once the nurse is done, the admitting clerk facilitates admission into the hospital system and there after the patient is prepared as per procedure. The patient is then reviewed by the anesthetist and surgeon, informed consent is obtained. The surgical site is marked and upon completion, theatre calls for the patient.

On arrival to theatres receiving area, theatre nurse receives the patient and they introduce themselves to the patient and parents/Guardian. The nurse identifies the patient as per hospital policy.

Checks all the required items as per the theatre checklist, to mention but a few, checks that consent is fully signed, surgical site marking, time patient starved and the general wellbeing of the child, this is done in consultation with the surgeon and anaesthetist. Areas not clear are clarified in the presence of the parent/Guardian.

At the end of the procedure the patient is then reversed from anaesthesia and wheeled to Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), where they are monitored closely. Once the patient is fully awake and has achieved the acceptable PACU (Post Anaesthesia Care Unit) score they are released to the ward together with their parents.

The surgeon and the anesthetist visit the patient to explain the outcomes of surgery and anesthesia to the parent or guardian and re-emphasize all post-operative requirements to be followed until discharge.