It is our goal to make your hospital stay as comfortable and pleasant as possible. Taking care of your needs is a priority for our team.
On the day of your surgery, please check-in at the Information Desk located in the Outpatient Waiting Area at the front of the Medical Center. From there you will be escorted to the Day Procedure Unit or one of our nursing units.
Upon Arrival
When you arrive at Williamson Memorial Hospital please check in at the main information desk, then sign in on the roster in our outpatient lobby.
Our admitting clerk will greet you and begin the registration process, shortly after your arrival.
You will be given an identification bracelet that must be worn until you are discharged from the hospital. If this bracelet comes off for any reason, please notify your nurse and ask for a new one, as this is an important patient safety issue.
To prepare for the registration process, please bring the following items with you
- Your health insurance card Personal identification (such as driver's license or picture ID).
- List of all current medications, including herbals, and immunizations.
- List of current physicians and their phone numbers.
- A copy of your advance directives (if you have created one).
- Any medical records, x-ray films or test (if you doctor has requested them).
- If you are having a surgical procedure, a member of our team will escort you and your family to our surgical suite.
A surgical waiting room is available near our surgery suite for the comfort of your family and friends located on our second floor. Depending upon your procedure, you may be directed to an exam room where you will change into a hospital gown. If you are scheduled for a procedure that requires an overnight stay, your personal items will be identified and taken to the nurse's station on your unit. Please send home any valuables that you have with you. If you must keep your valuables at the hospital, we urge you to place them in the hospital safe.
Your nurse will conduct a brief examination, which could include taking your temperature, blood pressure, height and weight, and listening to your heart through a stethoscope. At some point, your surgeon and anesthesiologist will speak to you prior to surgery. You will be asked to sign a consent for procedure form if you did not previously complete one in your surgeon's office.
The Holding Area
The Holding Area is where final preparations are made for your surgery. Visitors are not allowed in the Holding Area, except for the parents of minor children and the spouses/guardians of adults with special needs.
These visitors cannot proceed beyond the Holding Area. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by a registered nurse who will further review your chart, answer your questions, and remain with you while you wait. Warm blankets are available to make your wait more comfortable.
Your Anesthesia Care Team will meet you in the Holding Area. They will obtain your medical history, discuss the type of anesthesia you will receive, and answer any questions you may have. If not already done, your intravenous catheter (IV) will be inserted at this time. Once your interview is completed, the Anesthesia Team may sedate you while the Holding Room Nurse monitors you.
The Operating Room
You may spend about an hour in the Holding Area. Once all preparations are completed, you will leave the Holding Area and be taken into your operating room. There you will be greeted by your Surgical Team which includes your surgeon, nurses and technicians.
Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
After your surgery is completed, you will be taken to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) also known as the Recovery Room. There you will be monitored by a team of registered nurses while you recover from your anesthesia.
Visitors are permitted in the PACU on a case by case basis. Parents of small children are allowed limited visitation.
You will usually stay in the PACU about an hour or so, depending upon your condition. Once you are stabilized, you will be transported to the Day Procedure Unit or elsewhere in the Medical Center if you are admitted.
If a PACU stay is not necessary, you will be returned to the Day Procedure Unit where a registered nurse will monitor your blood pressure, pulse, and respiration and assist you in your recovery.
Recovery times vary. Some patients are required to remain in the Medical Center for several hours after surgery before they are allowed to go home. If additional recovery time or medical care is necessary, you may need to stay overnight.