Posted By Karen Todd Hello Paul, I recently went to the day procedure unit for an operation under general anaesthetic. I got changed into a hospital gown and dressing gown, had a chat with the nurses and doctors in an office. Then I walked to theatre in my socks (which they let me keep on throughout!) with a nurse. I woke up in the recovery ward in a bed and was allowed home an hour and a half later. I noticed that they put people just out of theatre at one side until they woke up and obs were done every 5 mins on them. Then when they were more awake, the bed was wheeled across to the opposite side of recovery where obs were done every half hour. I think letting people walk to theatre in the day procedures unit is a good idea. I would have felt really silly being wheeled in on a trolley when I was perfectly capable of walking! Hope this helps, Karen

Posted By Bryn Maidment Paul It very much depends on the operation, pre-med anaesthesia given, training of staff & equipment. There are marked differences between day surgery procedures and major theatre work. In a day surgery the patients are generally walking, ideally the operating platform is also the trolley and bed, so transfers are unnecessary. Very little intervention and handling by staff are required. Main Theatres are very different in that the surgery is generally more invasive and therefore pre-medication is given prior to trundling the patient off. More invasive = more blood & body fluids and beds cannot be used as the operating table. This involves transfers between beds > trollies > table > trollies > beds. This should be conducted by trained staff used sliding sheets, patslides and other equipment designed for this purpose. It is important that all this is co-ordinated because the sheets should be placed under the patient, on the ward, prior to sedation, to reduce the MH involved in placing it underneath a comatose body. There may be certain procedures that involve particular positions, or parts of the patients body, that need to be held, or indeed the patient may need to be inverted or turned upside down. Special hoists and other pieces of equipment may be needed for these manouevres. This would all be in place in a well staffed, well equipped, well motivated and run hospital but many will fall short or have other means of achieving similar results with differing degrees of risk. It is ideal world and I'm thankful at least that this is how my hospital works ....... just don't ask me about ********** (just in case our kindly enforcers are lurking!). Hope this helps