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Pre-assessment
At your outpatient clinic appointment, your consultant may advise that you require a surgical procedure, as a day case. Prior to your procedure, if you are having a general anaesthetic (when you are asleep), you will be given a pre-operative assessment appointment. This appointment involves:
- taking a medical history
- height/weight and blood pressure measurements
- blood tests and a heart trace recording (ECG), if required.
Based
on this information and a general social assessment, the Pre-assessment Nurse
will assess if there are any factors which indicate that having your procedure
as a daycase would not be the best option for you. Normally, if this were the
case, you would be advised at the end of the appointment. Sometimes, however,
it may be necessary to discuss your details with a Consultant Anaesthetist (or
other specialist healthcare professional) before the decision can be made. The
Pre-assessment Nurse will advise you if this is necessary and s/he will ensure
that you are notified about the outcome of the consultation.
At the pre-assessment appointment, you will also be given information to prepare you for your forthcoming procedure. The nurse will ensure that you have a basic understanding of the proposed procedure and will answer any questions you may have. S/he will also talk to you about what to expect on the day, together with any advice and special instructions which may be appropriate.
The pre-assessment nurse will also give you information leaflets, which provide more detailed information about various aspects of your procedure and care afterwards. Please read them prior to your admission to the Day Unit. If you have any questions which need answering before you go ahead with your procedure, take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.
The leaflets, which may be given to you, include information about: