Tisch- Pre-op Instructions: 10th Floor Surgical Suite (NYULH)

Pre-op Instructions for NYULH Tisch Hospital: 10th Floor Surgical Suite

Your care and safety are our top priority. Use this guide to know what to expect before and after your surgery.

The Day Before Your Surgery

You will get a phone call from a pre-op nurse the day before your surgery. This nurse will confirm your arrival time at the hospital. Please call your doctor's office, if you have not received a phone call with your arrival time by 3:00 pm the day before your surgery. Keep in mind that if you arrive late, we may have to delay or reschedule your surgery.
Do NOT drink alcohol, or use cannabis or any other recreational drugs within 48 hours before surgery. This is for your safety. If you do, your surgery may have to be cancelled.
Do NOT eat or drink after midnight, the night before your surgery. This is important for a safer outcome and can delay surgery. This includes no water, candy, gum, or mints. On the morning of your surgery, you can brush your teeth but do not swallow any of the water with toothpaste.
Follow the instructions from your doctor or staff regarding which medication(s) you can take the morning of your surgery. This is very important. Contact your surgeon / cardiologist, if you are taking anticoagulation medication (blood thinners), for instructions (if you have not already received them). Please do not bring any home medications unless instructed to do so. If you need any medications during your admission, our pharmacy will provide them for you.
Consult with your surgeon regarding the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) before surgery. Examples of NSAIDs are Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), Naprosyn (Aleve).

The Day of Your Surgery

Tisch Hospital is located on First Ave between 30th and 34th streets. Our full address is NYU Langone Health, 550 First Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016. Follow the Blue pathway then take the Tisch (North or South) elevators to the 10th floor. Kindly go to reception, to the “Patient Access” desk.

Please do the following to prepare for your surgery before coming to the hospital:

Wear loose comfortable clothing appropriate for your type of surgery.
Use special wipes or shampoo (if your surgeon instructed you to do so).
Do NOT wear facial makeup, false eyelashes, or dark colored nail polish on fingernails. If the surgery is on your legs or feet, please remove toe nail polish.
Do NOT use creams, lotions, ointments, powders, perfume, or cologne.
Remove all jewelry (including wedding rings and body piercings) before coming to the hospital. We recommend consulting with a jeweler to remove body piercings or rings that will not come off.
Wear glasses if you normally wear contact lenses and bring a case. Contacts lenses need to be removed and secured before surgery.
If you wear dentures, removable bridges, or retainers, you need to remove them before surgery.
We may ask for a urine sample, if you still get your period. Please let staff know if you need to use the bathroom.
Do not bring valuables with you (for example, expensive jewelry, large cash amounts, or credit cards- unless needed for payment).
Bring insurance cards and a photo ID.
Bring your Advanced Directive/Living Will/Health Care Proxy. If you do not have one, you can obtain one on our website. If applicable, bring guardianship paperwork.
Bring your cane, walker, wheelchair, and hearing aid(s), if this applies to you.
You need an adult support person (someone over the age of 18) to be present at your discharge process. Please provide their phone number on the day of surgery. Surgery is subject to delay or cancellation, if you do not have an adult support person.

Tip: Write down your questions and bring them the day of your surgery. A member of your care team will answer and discuss them with you before surgery begins.

Your Surgery

Pre-operative Phase (Before Surgery):

Before your surgery begins, you will meet the members of your care team. This includes nurses and patient care technicians (PCTs), as well as your surgeon and anesthesiologist.
We will check your vital signs and ask you questions about your health, medications, and any past surgeries.
We will also review consent forms with you and ask you to sign them.
When it is time for your surgery, a staff member will escort you into the operating room (OR).
Please note: your surgery may be longer or shorter than expected.

Recovery Phase (After Surgery):

Once your surgery is finished, we will bring you to the post anesthesia care unit (PACU).
Our staff will care for your post-operative (post-op) needs.
It is normal to have some grogginess, discomfort and pain, and even nausea after surgery.
Most patients spend about 1-2 hours in the PACU.
Please note: how much time you spend in the PACU may vary based on how fast you recover from anesthesia.

While you are in the PACU, we ask that you:

1. Tell Us How You Feel

We will ask you to describe your pain on a pain scale from 0 to 10. 0 means no pain, 3-4 means mild pain, and 10 would be the worst pain you have ever felt. We will give you medications based on your pain level. Our goal is to have your pain be at a 4 or less before you leave the PACU.
Please note that nausea and vomiting are common side effects of anesthesia. These may last up to 24 hours after surgery. We will give you anti-nausea medication to try to prevent this. However, if you have nausea, please let your nurse know. We want you to be able to eat and drink before you leave the PACU.

2. Let Us Take Care Of You

Your safety is our priority. Please ask for help when getting in and out of bed. Also, a member of your care team may stay with you in the bathroom, where falls could more easily happen. This is to keep you safe.
Early walking is a vital part of your recovery. It improves blood flow, which helps you heal faster. A member of your care team will let you know if and when it is safe for you to walk. They will be there to guide and support you throughout recovery.

3. Notify Your Support Person

You can have your support person with you during the intake process (pre-op) and again during the discharge process (post-op). You may choose one person to receive text message updates from a care team member when you are out of surgery.
Please note: Staff are not able to respond to these automated messages. Your support person can go to the PACU as soon as they receive a text that states, “Patient is ready for visit.”

Preventing Falls While in the Hospital

After your procedure, you may be at higher risk of falling. Because of this, we will be by your side to keep you S.A.F.E.

S – Staff will stay with you in the bathroom
A – Anesthesia can increase your risk of falls
F – Feeling dizzy? Feeling week? Let us know!
E – Expect us to be by your side

COVID-19 Safety Measures at the Hospital

The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority, especially now with COVID-19 (the new Coronavirus) in New York City. Please note that we are taking all needed precautions to ensure that we can perform surgeries safely while eliminating any spread of COVID-19. If you have a fever (temperature higher than 99.5°F (37.5°C), cough, rash, or signs of illness please let us know as soon as possible before coming to the hospital.

Visitor Guidelines:

To ensure a safe environment for our patients and visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have updated our visitor policies for all of our locations. Please check on the NYU Langone Health website (https://nyulangone.org/patient-family-support/visiting-hours) for updates before each visit.

We screen all visitors and our patients’ support people for COVID-19 symptoms. We will take their temperature when they arrive.People who have a temperature higher than 99.5°F (37.5°C) and those who are sick or seem sick are not permitted to enter.

All visitors must wear a face mask properly (covering nose, mouth and chin) at ALL times. This safety measure applies to all NYU Langone sites.

Visitors and support people must also wash or sanitize their hands often.

We do not permit visitors under the age of 18 at this time.

We strongly discourage visitors over the age of 69. This is due to the high risks related to COVID-19 in this age group.

Visitors need to show photo ID they also need to give their name, contact information, dates of visit, and the name of the patient they are visiting.

The following visitor policies apply for patients having surgery or a same-day procedure at our hospitals and ambulatory locations:

You can have your support person with you during the intake process (pre-op). Your support person can be with you again during the discharge process (post-op).
Visitors cannot wait in the recovery room. This is a COVID-19 safety measure. Visitors can wait in the lobby or cafeteria until notified by unit staff. They will be notified by a text message or phone call.

We are here to care for your health and help keep you safe!

If you have any questions or concerns about these instructions,

please call the Tisch 10 Surgical Suite at (212) 263-7610.

© NYU Langone Health. All rights reserved. Reviewed for health literacy. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care provider's instructions.