On the day of surgery, the patient is admitted into the hospital or the same-day surgery center before being directed to the preoperative holding area. Before the person is sent to the operating room, the nurse checks to make sure that the patient has signed a surgical consent form and has had nothing to eat or drink for at least 6 hours, depending on the physicians’ orders. In the preoperative area, vital signs v\^ill be monitored; sometimes the person being operated on will need a chest X ray, an electrocardiogram, or blood work, depending on the procedure. Often, the person’s blood has been previously typed and cross-matched in case a blood transfusion becomes necessary during surgery. The anesthesiologist, surgeon, and nursing staff will discuss the procedure with the patient and answer any questions that the person may have. An intravenous catheter to provide a balanced salt solution will be inserted into the hand or arm to hydrate the patient during the surgery. The intravenous catheter can also be used to deliver a preoperative sedative or other appropriate medication before the patient is wheeled into the operating room where the surgery will take place.
Care preceding an operation, including the medical evaluation of the risks of surgery, and the psychological adjustment of the patient.