Surgery Service
We offer a wide range of surgical services from minor same day surgery procedures to complex procedures involving specialized high-tech equipment including cardiothoracic and general surgery, hand surgery, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology, plastic surgery and vascular surgery.
Contact Info
Location:
University Drive campus
3 West
Contact Number(s):
Hours of Operation
6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Monday - Friday
Have questions prior to your surgery or need to cancel?
Please notify the Same Day Surgery Unit at
Need accommodations prior to your surgery?
Contact our Hoptel to learn more.
Before Your Surgery
A staff member will call you the business day before your scheduled surgery to confirm and remind you of your appointment. If you do not receive a phone call the day before your scheduled surgery, call Same Day Surgery at
If you are experiencing any change in condition such as a bad cold, sore throat, fever, or any active illness; if you were admitted to an emergency room or another hospital between now and your surgery date; or if you have any questions about your pre-operative instructions, call the Impact Clinic at
IMPORTANT REMINDER
If you are planning to go home the same day as your surgery, you must have a responsible adult to drive you home. You are required to present to the SDPU check-in window with your responsible adult.
If you do not have a responsible adult with you to safely transport you home, your surgery may be cancelled and rescheduled to a time that these requirements can be met.
Preparing for Your Surgery
- Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your procedure.
- Do not smoke, use chewing tobacco, chewing gum, breath mints or cough drops the night before surgery.
- Medications can be taken with a few sips of water.
- Take your Beta Blocker as scheduled the day before and the morning of your surgery.
- Brushing your teeth or gargling is permitted.
- Shower the evening before the procedure using an antibacterial soap such as Dial or Safeguard.
- If you are given a surgical scrub (Betasept/Chlorhexidine) please use it to wash the surgical area the night before and the morning of the surgery as shown and instructed.
Other Reminders Before Your Surgery
- Do not wear any jewelry, body piercings, wedding rings, makeup or nail polish.
- Do not bring any valuables to the hospital.
- If you wear contact lenses, glasses or dentures, bring a storage case to store them during the procedure.
- If you will be going home the same day as your surgery, you must have a responsible adult to drive you home. You will be discharged and required to be picked up from the Same Day Procedure Unit/3-West.
Please adhere to all the above instructions to avoid delay or cancellation of your surgery.
Medication InstructionsPlease follow your provider's directions on what medications to take.
Diabetic Medication Instructions
Please follow the provider's directions on what diabetic medication to take.
If you feel like your blood sugar is too low, you may drink a CLEAR sweetened liquid or can take glucose tablets even though you were told not to eat or drink after midnight. Clear liquids include apple juice, tea, Kool aid etc. Be sure to tell the nurse you did this when you arrive for surgery.
Other Special Instructions
Do not drink alcoholic beverages 7 days before surgery. Do not take any recreational drugs 10 days before surgery.
Day of Surgery
When you arrive at the hospital on the morning of your surgery, please swipe your VA ID card at the kiosk on the 1st floor to register yourself in the hospital. Then proceed to the 3rd floor of the hospital and check into the Same Day Surgery Unit. Please swipe your VA ID card again at the kiosk on the 3rd floor. This will notify the nurses that you are here for your surgery. After you register, have a seat in the waiting room and someone will come out to bring you back to the Same Day Surgery unit.
A nurse will Obtain family or support person’s phone number and call them after obtaining and then be sent to the Atrium, cafeteria, or their own car to wait.
A nurse will help you get ready for your surgery and the anesthesia doctor will talk to you about the medicines they will use during the surgery. A member of the anesthesia team will insert an IV tube into a vein in your arm for you to receive medicine during the procedure.
Following your surgery, you will go to the post-anesthesia care unit or recovery room to wake up. The nurses will monitor your blood pressure, heart rate, surgery site and comfort level. Once you are completely awake, with no nausea and pain is under control, you will be moved to your own room on a nursing floor or back to the Same Day Procedure Unit for discharge to home.
The Recovery Process
At the conclusion of your surgery, the surgeon may go to the waiting room to give your family member an update on your progress. Your procedure may be over, but additional time is needed—sometimes up to 30 minutes—for the anesthesia staff to safely move you to the recovery room. Once you are moved to the Recovery Room, your family member will be notified. No visitors will be allowed in the Recovery Room. If you are being admitted, the recovery room nurse will allow you to visit your family or support person during transit to the your hospital room.
Visitation Policy
No family or support person will be able to wait in the Same Day Surgery area with the patient or in the 3rd floor waiting room. Family or support person should wait in the Atrium, Cafeteria or their own vehicle. A nurse will Obtain support person’s phone number and call them after obtaining.
Communication with family, support person is MANDATORY by RN
When to communicate…
- On transfer to the OR
- If surgery is delayed
- On arrival to PACU
- Surgical team is to update support person in summary of surgery
- Before discharge with instructions
- On discharge to communicate where the support person will retrieve patient
After Your Surgery
You will receive a phone call within 24-96 hours from the VA staff. You will be asked brief questions about your recovery so far, and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have at that time. We thank you for your time and honesty.
If you have questions the day after your surgery, you can call the clinic where you saw your doctor. You may also call the Same Day Surgery Unit at
If you have questions for a nurse, you may call the Nurse Helpline number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at
Go to your nearest Emergency Room if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Chest Pain
- Shortness of Breath
- Large amount of bloody drainage from your incision
- Fever higher than 101 degrees
- Chills
- Uncontrolled pain at the surgical site despite taking pain medication
- Cold blue extremity
- New numbness/tingling
- Inability to urinate
- Difficulty swallowing
It is very important for you to see your doctor at a follow up appointment. Please look at your discharge instructions to note your follow-up appointment. If you need to change the date or time, you can call the clinics at
If you have any questions or concerns about your surgery, please contact your doctor.
Discharge Instructions
Due to the sedation medication you received, you may experience lightheadedness, dizziness or sleepiness following your procedure for up to 24 hours. During this timeframe:
- Do not stay alone. Be sure to have another family member or responsible adult stay with you.
- Do not operate machinery or perform heavy lifting.
- Do not drive any motorized vehicle.
- Do not drink any alcoholic beverages.
- Do not make important personal or business decisions, or sign any legal documents.
Following your surgery, it is important that you rest and follow the instructions provided on your discharge paperwork.
Call the Same Day Surgery Unit at
- Fever
- Chills
- Unrelieved Pain
- Bleeding
- Drainage
- Signs/Symptoms of infection (redness, swelling)
- Unrelieved nausea and vomiting
Go to your local emergency room or call 911 if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Chest Pain
- Shortness of Breath
- Large amount of bloody drainage from your incision
- Fever higher than 101 degrees
- Chills
- Uncontrolled pain at the surgical site despite taking pain medication
- Cold blue extremity
- New numbness/tingling
- Inability to urinate
- Difficulty swallowing
Outpatient Pharmacy
Pharmacy Hours
Weekdays
7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Weekends and Holidays
7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The outpatient pharmacy is located on the 1st floor behind the main entrance. Go to the last window and notify the pharmacist that you have a medication to pick up. Please keep your discharge instructions available for verification.
If the outpatient pharmacy is closed, then report to the inpatient pharmacy on the ground floor. Take the back elevators down to the ground floor and the pharmacy window will be to the right.