Preparing for a Procedure or Surgery

Expect our call

Before your procedure, a nurse from the Perioperative Care Unit (PCU) will call to provide the following:

• Where and when you should arrive
• Your estimated procedure time
• A review of your health history
• Instructions to prepare for your procedure, which includes diet and medication guidelines as well as general reminders before your procedure

Learn more about what you should bring to the hospital here.

Note: If your procedure is on a Monday, you will receive a call on the Friday before your procedure.

• Rush University Medical Center: (312) 947-0787

If you do not receive a call, you missed the call or you would like to speak with the pre-op nurse, please call the Perioperative Care Unit at the number above before 5 p.m. (Monday through Friday).

• Rush Oak Park Hospital: (708) 660-4800

If you missed our call or have any additional questions, please call one of the following numbers before 5 p.m. 

• Same day surgery procedures: (708) 660-4800
• GI/Endoscopy procedures: (708) 660-5800
• Interventional procedures: (708) 660-4800 
   
• Rush Copley Medical Center: (630) 978-6200

If you missed our call or have any additional questions, please call one of the following numbers before 4:30 p.m. Calls received after 4:30 p.m. will be returned the next business day.

• GI procedures: (630) 692-5363
• Interventional procedures: (630) 978-6835
• Surgical (OR) procedures: (630) 978-4888
   

Eating/drinking before a procedure

• Please follow the instructions that you received from your provider and the Rush Perioperative Care Unit about when to stop eating and drinking. Please reach out to your provider's office or the Perioperative Care Unit for further details or for any questions.

Tobacco and alcohol usage

• Restrict alcohol
  • Do not drink alcohol for 24 hours before your procedure. Alcohol can interact with the medicine you will receive in the hospital. Please notify your provider's office if you need help decreasing your alcohol use before your procedure.
• Stop smoking/vaping
  • Do not smoke or vape for 24 hours before your procedure. People who smoke have a higher risk of infection, scarring, wound healing problems and low oxygen levels. If you smoke or vape, try to stop as soon as possible before your procedure. It is ideal to stop smoking for at least 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after surgery. Your primary care provider can help you stop smoking by prescribing medication.
• Recreational drugs
  • Some recreational drugs carry an increased risk of blood clots. For your safety, refrain from using recreational drugs and alert your physician to any recreational drug usage. Please notify your provider's office if you need help decreasing your recreational drug use before your procedure.

Arrange for a responsible adult to take you home

• If you are receiving any form of anesthesia or sedation and will be going home the same day as your procedure, you must have a responsible adult over the age of 18 to take you home. You will not be allowed to drive home or take a cab/taxi/rideshare/medicar by yourself. We recommend that you arrange for an adult to stay with you for at least 24 hours after your procedure.
• A member of your Rush Care Team will verify your ride home pre-procedure. If you do not have a responsible adult to accompany you after receiving anesthesia or sedation, your procedure will be cancelled. 
   

Wear loose, comfortable clothing

• To make your procedure easier, wear loose, comfortable clothing that will allow us to easily access any bandages or surgical dressings. Please follow directions given to you by your care team regarding showering. 

Information about anesthesia

• “What to Expect With Your Anesthesia” (English | Spanish)
• “What to Expect With Your Moderate Sedation” (English | Spanish)

We understand that the day of your procedure may be stressful. We are here to help you understand what to expect on the day of your procedure. We hope this information helps you—and your family, friend, or caregiver accompanying you—to better understand every aspect of your care.

1. All visitors must have a government-issued photo ID when entering the building.
2. Registration
   • Bring your government-issued photo ID to the registration desk.
3. Check In
   • Check in with a guest relations associate in the lounge you have been assigned to. At check in, you can share a family member’s phone number to allow them to receive text message updates about your care. Your care team will come get you when it is time for your procedure.
4. Prep Area
   • At this stage, the care team will prepare any necessary paperwork, complete pre-op testing and insert an IV. This can take between 30 minutes and several hours.
5. Operating/Procedural Room
   • If your procedure lasts longer than 2 hours, the nurse will update your family, friend or caregiver on your progress via text message or phone call.
6. After your procedure
   • Following a procedure, patients may go to a recovery area. Recovery times vary from 30 minutes to several hours depending on the type of procedure and anesthesia used, as well as the individual patient’s condition.
   • You will recover with a team of nurses who are trained to provide recovery post-procedure. The recovery nurse will update your family, friend or caregiver.
7. Discharge
   • We will provide discharge instructions.
   • If you have received any form of anesthesia or sedation and are going home the same day as your procedure, you must have a responsible adult over the age of 18 to take you home. You will not be allowed to drive home or take a cab/taxi/rideshare/medicar by yourself. We recommend that you arrange for an adult to stay with you for at least 24 hours after your procedure.

Post procedure call

• 1 to 2 business days after your discharge from a procedure at Rush, a care team member will contact you to see how you are recovering. If you have any specific concerns, please contact your provider's office  directly.

Anesthesia post procedure care

• “Side Effects of Monitored Anesthesia Care" (English | Spanish)
• “Side Effects of General Anesthesia” (English | Spanish)
• “Side Effects of Regional Nerve Block” (English | Spanish)
• “Side Effects of Moderate Sedation” (English | Spanish)

Patient Experience Survey

• Thank you for choosing Rush University System for Health for your care. Our goal is to provide excellent supportive health care. We may send you a brief survey about your visit. Please fill out the survey and let us know your feedback about your stay.