The Day Before Your Child's Surgery

Please call the day before your child's scheduled surgery (919) 684-4718 or 1-800-382-6238 Monday through Friday, except holidays, between 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm for your child's surgical arrival time. If surgery is scheduled on a day following a holiday, please call the day before the holiday. If your child's surgery is on Monday, please call on Friday for the surgical arrival time. You will speak with a Registered Nurse who will confirm your child's arrival time to the Children's Health Center (CHC).

The arrival time is the time you and your child need to arrive at the Children's health Center to get ready for surgery. The nurse will ask for a home number before surgery in case there is a need to contact you.

Instructions Before Surgery

Call your surgeon's office if your child's health changes within two weeks before your child's scheduled surgery. For example, if your child develops a cold or cough, fever or chills, it may be necessary to reschedule your child's surgery. Please call the Duke University Hospital/CHC Preoperative Holding Hospital area at (919) 684-4718 or 1-800-382-6238 with other questions or concerns. If you are going to be late, please call (919) 684-4718 or 1-800-382-6238.

Medications

Please follow the pre-surgical instructions given to you by your child's surgeon or health team professional about your child's medication, skin care and bowel preparations.

A Responsible Adult

To provide the essential support and ability to make health care decisions for children under the age of 18, it is necessary for them to be accompanied by a responsible adult (parent/legal guardian who has legal responsibility and may sign consents). The responsible adult is expected to remain at the hospital (CHC) until after the recovery period.

Instructions for Eating and Drinking Prior to Your Child's Surgery

It is very important that your child has an empty stomach before surgery.The following guidelines MUST be followed or surgery will be delayed or cancelled.

Your child should not have any meals or solid food after midnight the night before surgery.

• Your child may have infant formula up until6 hours before arrival time.
• Your child may have clear liquids (water or pedialyte ONLY) up until 2 hours before arrival time for surgery. For example, if scheduled arrival time to the hospital is 11 :00 am, your baby should have no food after midnight, but may have milk until 5 am, then clear apple juice until 9 am.
• Please bring your child's favorite toys, blanket, books or a small game to make the waiting time more enjoyable.

Things to Remember the Morning of Surgery

• Please leave all valuables (money and jewelry) at home.
• Please have your child shower or bathe as usual.
• Have older children and teenagers brush their teeth but DO NOT swallow the water.
• Please remember - no makeup, earrings, lipstick or chapstick, finger or toenail polish for your child.
• If your child has long hair, braid or tie it back with a rubber band. Please no metal hair items.
• Remember that your child may have a cast or bandage that requires loosefitting clothes for the trip home.
• When appropriate, bring crutches or a walker to use after surgery or bring pillows for the car ride home.
• Bring anything that your child needs before surgery. The CHC should have other items needed during your child's stay (diapers, wipes, juice, soda, etc.).
• Please keep your child's glasses, contacts or dental work with you.

Where to Check in for Surgery

Enter through the front door of the CHC. Go to the glass elevator and take the elevator to the 3rd floor. The surgery waiting area is to your right. Check in with the receptionist.

Getting Ready for Surgery

The receptionist will direct you to a room where your child will put on a hospital gown.
A nurse will meet you and your child, give your child an identification/ name band and take your child's vital signs. When you arrive to the preoperative area, you will have the opportunity to discuss the anesthetic plan with the anesthesia providers who will be taking care of your child.

After surgery, you will be invited to join your child in the recovery area. While your child is in surgery, you may wait in the waiting area on the 3rd floor of the CHe. Please limit the number of family members with you.

After Surgery

Your child's surgeon will speak with you at the end of surgery.

Most children will be taken from the operating room to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU-Recovery Room) by the anesthesia team.

Two parents/legal guardians will be invited to join their child in the recovery area. Please arrange for other children to be cared for at home that day.

Your child will be cared for by a PACU nurse until it is time to go home or be admitted to the hospital.

If your child is to go home from the recovery room, you will be given discharge instructions, a return clinic appointment and any needed prescriptions.

We thank you for your cooperation and hope that the surgical and anesthetic experience for you and your child is a pleasant one.

Parking

Valet parking is available Monday through Friday for a fee at the Children's Health Center (CHC) main entrance.

An hourly-rate-parking garage is located across from the CHC and Duke University Hospital. Enter parking garage from Elba Street.

Wheelchair and Stroller Accessibility

Please use the Duke University Hospital valet parking service or patient drop-off area in front of the Children's Health Center. If using the tunnel level from the Duke University Hospital Parking Garage, please take the elevator to the first floor and ask directions to the Children's Health Center.