Will I have pain after surgery?

• The amount of pain you experience will depend on a number of factors, especially the type of surgery. Your doctors and nurses can relieve pain after your surgery with medications given by mouth, intravenous, or by numbing the area around the incision. Your pain should be tolerable, but do not expect to be totally pain-free.

Will I have nausea after surgery?

• Nausea and vomiting may be related to anesthesia, the type of surgery, or pain medications. Although less of a problem today because of improved anesthetic medications, these side effects continue to occur for some patients. Patients with a history of motion sickness or those with a previous history of nausea and vomiting after surgery will be given medication to help prevent nausea.

What can I do help make my surgery experience safer?

• Be an active member of your healthcare team. Taking part in decisions about your healthcare is the single most important way you can help prevent medical errors.
• Make sure that your healthcare workers always ask you to state your name and birth date before giving you any medications, or performing any lab tests or procedures.
• Speak up if you have questions or concerns. You have a right to question anyone who is involved in your care and expect answers you understand.
• Ask all healthcare workers who have direct contact with you whether they have cleaned their hands. Hand washing is an important way to prevent the spread of infections.
• Make sure your doctor and nurse know about all the medications you are taking.
• Make sure the doctors and nurses know about all of your allergies.
• Make sure you and your surgeon agree on the surgery to be done. Sanford has implemented a policy requiring the doctor to initial the site to be operated on before surgery. We call this "signing the site".

What is an anesthesiologist?

• An anesthesiologist is a medical doctor who is specially trained in anesthesia.

What is a CRNA?

• A CRNA is a certified registered nurse anesthetist who works under the supervision of an anesthesiologist. They are registered nurses who have undergone additional training and education in the field of anesthesia.