There’s no doubt having surgery can be stressful, but if your child is scheduled for surgery, the thought of it can be terrifying. To help reduce your anxiety, I’ll address concerns about the surgery day process and anesthesia.
You and your child will be greeted by staff as you enter the surgery center and settled into a secure, comfortable private room. Your child’s health history will be reviewed by highly trained medical personnel (RN, CRNA, anesthesiologist and surgeon), and an anesthesia plan will be discussed. Anesthesia is the use of medicine to prevent or reduce the feeling of pain or sensation during surgery.
We will keep things light and fun for your child continually addressing anxiety and fear. When the child enters the surgical suite, a mask is gently placed on the child. After a few breaths the child falls asleep, and an intravenous line is placed, which is used to deliver the essential medication. The child is prepped for surgery and continually monitored during the procedure. At the end of surgery, the child, still sleepy, is transported to the recovery area, and as the child awakes, the parent and child are reunited.
All post-operative instructions will be reviewed verbally and written to take home. When the child is awake and feeling well, parent and child will be escorted to the car. The surgery center will follow up the next day with a phone call to address any further issues.
— Darlene Douglas
CRNA