• Make sure you shower and wash before you arrive, bacteria and germs are always present on our skin. To limit the risk of infection it is important that your skin is clean before we operate.
• Wear clean clothes and underwear that are easy to take off. Bacteria and germs from our skin and our environment settle in our clothes.
• Bring footwear that is warm and safe, make sure your shoes and socks fit properly and aren’t slippery to prevent trips and falls.
• Leave all jewellery at home.
• Make sure all nail polish is removed. We need to use a small monitor that clips on to your finger or toe and measures the amount of oxygen in your blood. Nail polish interferes with the reading.

Before you go into the operating theatre your doctors may use a marker or pen to draw on your skin near the surgical area. For some skin types we may need to shave your surgical area before you go into theatre. Your nurse will let you know if we need to do this.

When you wake up from your surgery you may have drains, drips, and medications. Don’t be alarmed. When you are awake enough, we will talk to you about your surgery and what the plan is for your treatment and recovery.

If you have had day surgery, we will let you wake up, monitor you, and in most cases give you something to drink and eat. We will call your carer to come and collect you. Before you leave we will talk to you and your carer about how to look after you once you are at home.

If you are staying overnight, you will be moved to a ward. We have lots of information for you during your stay at Canberra Hospital or North Canberra Hospital.