After Surgery
When your child’s procedure is finished, their surgeon will come out to speak with you in the Surgical Family Waiting Room.
The Recovery Room
Your child will go to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), also known as the Recovery Room, after surgery. This may take up to 15 to 30 minutes after your child’s surgeon comes out to speak with you.
Soon after your child is moved into the recovery room, parents/guardians will be called in and are encouraged to sit at the bedside. Make sure to wear your ID bracelets to enter the recovery room.
Same Day Surgery Patients
Your child will need to be fully awake, be able to drink four to six ounces of fluid, and will have the nurse evaluate their surgical site before going home.
You will be given instructions that explain what care you will need to provide for your child and how to manage pain at home. The nurse will also remind you to make a follow-up appointment to see the surgeon after the operation.
In the days following your child’s operation, a nurse from ASU will make a follow-up phone call to check in on you and your child. If you have any questions or concerns please let them know.
The total amount of time spent in the recovery room will depend on a few different factors:
- The specific surgery
- Your child's age
- How your child wakes up from the anesthesia
Because these factors vary from patient to patient, it's hard to say exactly how long you and your child will be here.
When it is time to go home, a nurse or patient care assistant will escort your child to the main entrance of the medical center and make sure you are safely on your way home.
Overnight Stay After Surgery
If your child is being admitted to stay overnight in the hospital, he or she will be moved up to an inpatient room after waking up in the recovery room, when a room is available.
Your child will be cared for by a nurse and will be followed by the surgical team as well as the medical team on the inpatient unit.
Most of our inpatient rooms are double rooms with a curtain divider. There is a television with a Playstation/DVD player and a phone at every bedside. We also have an activity room on each inpatient unit with games, art projects, and toys.
Our general visiting hours are from 11:00am to 8:00pm. One parent/guardian may sleep at the bedside with their child.
