Before and After Hospital

• Try and lead a healthy lifestyle before you are admitted. Eat a varied and healthy diet. If you would like any dietary advice the Hospital can refer you to a dietician before or during your stay.
• If you smoke, it is a good idea to give up as soon as you can. The Hospital is a smoke-free environment.
• If you drink alcohol, it is recommended that you reduce the amount or give up drinking for a week before your procedure.
• It is beneficial to increase your fitness and exercise tolerance before surgery. This will obviously depend on your mobility. If you are not used to exercise, try increasing the distance you walk each day.
• Visit the reception to complete your admission forms, receive procedure specific information, and finalise medical aid authorisation.

• Do not eat or drink anything after midnight, even water, unless you are instructed otherwise by your specialist. This is the most important pre-procedural instruction. Stomach contents are hazardous when having any type of anaesthetic.
• In the case of Cardiac Catheterisation and Angiogram – you can have clear liquids up to two hours before the procedure.
• Be sure to follow any specific instructions given to you by your Specialist.
• Take a relaxing bath or shower before coming to the Hospital. If you have been instructed to use antibacterial soap (Hibiscrub), shower and wash from the neck down the night before and repeat the next morning before you leave for the Hospital.
• Try to get a good night’s rest.

• Make sure you have everything that is on your checklist.
• Take all your medication with you, in its original packaging if possible. Also bring a list of your medication, including how much you take, so the medical staff know what medication you use. This should include any over-the-counter medication, vitamins or herbal supplements you use.
• Only take your prescription medication as advised by your specialist or nurse with as little liquid as possible.
• Do not wear jewellery, make-up or nail vanish on the day of your procedure.
• Allow plenty of time to arrive timeously and in a relaxed frame of mind. Your arrival time will need to be earlier than your scheduled procedure time to complete the necessary preparation for the procedure.
• Make sure that the admission staff have been alerted to your arrival so that your admission can be completed without a delay.

Your specialist together with the rest of your healthcare team will make every effort to keep you informed about your discharge date. They will support you to start planning your discharge as the earliest opportunity, often even before your admission. Their goal is to have you discharged as early as possible so that you can pick up your medication and be back in your home in time for an afternoon nap. Please help them to meet this goal by arranging transportation in advance.

• If you have had received sedation or general anaesthetic, you should not drive or operate a vehicle for 24-hours after the procedure.
• If you are worried about anything within a few weeks of leaving the Hospital, please call your ward to discuss your concern or observation.
• Remember to collect your take home medication (TTO) from your favourite retail pharmacy.

The Hospital relies on your feedback to help identify areas where they are doing well and those aspects which can be improved. Please ensure you complete the Patient Satisfaction Survey before you leave. Do not hesitate to offer suggestions or comments. Your opinions are most welcome.