Preparation at Home
Before you leave home for your surgery:
- Take a shower using antibacterial soap as instructed.
- You may brush your teeth or rinse your mouth; however, do not swallow water.
- Follow medication instructions given to you by your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and/or pre-operative nurse.
- Do not wear makeup, mascara, skin creams, lotions, nail polish or metal hairpins.
- Plan to arrive on time, leaving enough time for parking.
- Menstruating women should not use tampons.
- Wear comfortable loose-fitting clothing that will fit over bandages and splints.
- Remove all jewelry and leave it at home.
- Do not bring any valuables (jewelry, credit cards, money, cell phones) to the hospital. This includes body piercing jewelry and tongue studs. You may not wear jewelry during surgery.
What to Bring
- Your glasses and an eyeglass case, if needed. If you wear contact lenses, remove them and leave them at home.
- Form of identification (driver's license) and insurance cards. Note: It is necessary to properly identify all surgery patients, therefore insurance cards and IDs are required.
- List of current medications.
- Copy of your advanced directive/living will.
- Magazine, book, or other reading material.
- A responsible adult to assist you in getting home safely. While in the preoperative area, two adult visitors may be with you. Other visitors can wait in the family area. Encourage visitors to bring items such as reading materials to pass the time. If you pack an overnight bag, leave it in the car until your surgery is done; your family can bring it to your room after you have arrived there.
It is important to arrive on time to ensure enough time for preparation. Please arrive to the location listed below as instructed by your surgeon’s office or the preoperative center nurse. If you were not given a specific arrival time, please arrive 2 hours before the time of surgery.
Location: 2nd floor OMC-Kenner Hospital, 180 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner, LA 70065
To download a pdf of Day of Surgery instructions, click here.
