Members of the health-care team who you may meet on the day of surgery include:
- Registration staff will collect your child’s personal information, including their full name and date of birth and provide your child with an ID band.
- Administrative staff (e.g., flow coordinator) will provide your child with hospital pajamas or a gown, pre-operative wipes, and measure your child’s height and weight, which is needed for their surgery and calculating dosages of medicine.
- A child life specialist may be available to talk through any questions or worries, discuss coping strategies (e.g., distraction) and help you and your child prepare for surgery ahead of time or on the day of surgery.
- Pre-operative nurses will take vital signs to check that your child is healthy and ready for surgery. They will confirm nothing has changed since your child’s pre-anesthesia assessment and confirm your child’s medication history. They will also answer any questions you or your child have, to support feeling calm and ready
- The surgeon will complete the procedure or surgery.
- Anesthesiologist will manage the medications to keep your child asleep, safe and comfortable during the procedure.
- Residents and fellows are team members are surgeons and anesthesiologists that are in training and may be supporting the surgeon and anesthesiologist.
- Operating room (OR) nurse will meet you in pre-op and go over a safety checklist. They will accompany your child to the OR either on foot, with your child’s mobility aid, or on a stretcher, if your child has taken sedation medication. They will support your child as they receive anesthesia (induction) and surgical care
- PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit)/Recovery nurse will take care of your child as they wake up from the surgery and make sure they are safe and ready to go home or to the inpatient unit. They will also provide you with the important information for caring for your child at home and answer any questions you may have before discharge.
- Environmental services staff will ensure the spaces are kept clean and free from obstruction.
- Hospital volunteers are there to support patients and families, can help find answers to your questions and support wayfinding.