Inpatient Surgery Information

Admission to the Hospital—When an overnight or extended stay is needed, after a period of observation, you will be taken to your room from the recovery area or the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit. Your family/friend can wait in the surgical waiting room where the surgeon will usually meet with them at the end of the procedure. Your family and friends can join you in your room after you are transferred there.

When you arrive in the room, your new nurse will meet you and show you how to call for assistance. You will be taught how to use any electronic equipment available to you. Appropriate diet and activity levels, and medications will be explained to you.

Inpatient Discharge Guidelines—When your doctor decides you are ready to leave the hospital, you will be given a discharge order. Official “check out time” is 11:00 a.m., or if you are discharged after 11:00 a.m., check out is one hour after discharge.

Your physician and nurse will discuss your release and instructions for continued care once you return home. Lake Forest Hospital offers discharge planning and home care services, as well as a hospice program for the terminally ill.

When you receive approval for release, a hospital representative will escort you to the visitor entrance. When you are escorted down, your driver can pull up in front of the visitor entrance to meet you.

Driver—You'll need a driver on the day of discharge for the trip home and should not stay alone after surgery. Transportation and personal arrangements must be made in advance, and driver's name with contact number or location should be given to the admitting nurse for later use.