Getting a date for your operation
Hospitals see patients in the order of how urgent their condition is. This means we see patients with the most serious or life threatening illness or injury before patients with less serious problems.
Your appointment letter will tell you the date of your appointment or operation, and where to go.
We try to see patients on time, but sometimes emergencies mean we need to reschedule. If we need to change the time of your appointment or operation, we’ll let you know as early as possible. We’ll fit you in as soon as we can.
Before your operation
Before your operation, you might see several specialists. You can ask them any questions about your operation and recovery. They'll be happy to talk to you about any part of your treatment.
- An anaesthetist will ask you about your health and any past anaesthetics, and make sure you're well enough to have an anaesthetic.
- A resident medical officer who’s a part of the surgical team will give you a medical check.
- A registered nurse will check your temperature, blood pressure, height and weight.
- A pharmacist will look at any medicine you’re taking and ask if you've had an allergic reaction to any medicines in the past.
Preparing for your operation
You can't eat or drink before your operation. We’ll tell you how long you’ll need to go without food or water in your appointment letter. It's usually at least 6 hours before you have your operation. You can check this with your doctor.
You may need to get more tests done including another physical check. Your anaesthetist may also order extra tests and will talk about the anaesthesia with you. They might give you some medicine just before your operation to help you feel sleepy and relaxed.
We might ask you to remove any false teeth and jewellery.
What to bring
- A small bag to put your clothes in during your operation
- Something warm to wear while you're waiting
- A list of your medicines, x-rays and scans
- Medicare card, pension or concession card, if you have one
- Private health fund card if you have one
- Credit or debit card
- Physical aids like glasses, hearing aids and cases, a walking stick and mobility aids
- Something to read
On the day of your operation
You usually need to arrive several hours before your operation. We’ll tell you what time to arrive the day before your operation.
Once you settle in, a nurse will check you over. Your anaesthetist may also visit you.
They’ll review your health history questionnaire and ask you more questions, such as:
- how have you reacted to other anaesthetic and operations that you've had?
- has anyone in your family had problems with anaesthetic?
- what medicines or tablets are you taking?
- are you allergic or do you have a bad reaction to anything?
- what are your past and present medical problems?
- what are your smoking and drinking habits?
- have you had dental work?
- do you have digestive problems or reflux?
Anaesthesia for day surgery
Right before your operation, we’ll take you to the operating room to have the anaesthetic. The type of anaesthetic depends your surgery and your health.
Types of anaesthesia
- General anaesthesia – We usually inject this into a vein in the back of your hand to make sure you don’t feel anything. You won’t be conscious during the operation if you have a general anaesthesia.
- Local anaesthesia – You might have this for a small or simple procedure, it will only numb a small area around the injection.
- Regional anaesthesia – This is more complex, ask your GP for more information.
Side effects and complications of anaesthesia
Having anaesthesia can cause side effects and complications such as:
- feeling dizzy, sleepy or tired
- headache, muscle aches or sore throat
- blurry vision
- nausea
- short term memory loss
- low blood pressure
- bleeding or infection at the injection site
- temporary nerve damage
- kidney and liver failure
- allergic reaction to the anaesthetic
- seizure
- dental injury.
You can talk about these with your GP or specialist.
Straight after the operation
After your operation we’ll take you to a recovery room. You might not remember this because of the medicines you've had.
If you had local anaesthetic for a small procedure, we’ll discharge you soon after your surgery. You might stay longer if you’ve had a general anaesthetic.
You'll need to have a friend or family member drive you home.
Taking care of yourself at home
If you've had sedatives, pain relievers or general anaesthesia, you may feel drowsy after your procedure.
This is because a small amount of the anaesthetic may remain in your body. This can slow your reaction time and impair your judgement for the next 24 hours. It's a good idea to have someone with you for the first 24 hours after your anaesthetic or surgery.
During this time, you shouldn't:
- drive a car
- operate dangerous machinery
- drink alcohol
- sign any documents
- care for young children without other adult help.
How much will it cost?
If you're eligible for Medicare, your operation is free. If you're not eligible for Medicare, you'll need to pay all hospital charges before you have your operation. How much it costs, depends on the type of surgery. Find out more about health costs, insurance and support.