Your Surgery Day

The 7 steps of your surgery day

Step 1: Arrive at the facility  

When you and your support person arrive at the healthcare facility, you’ll check in at the front desk, just like at a doctor’s office. The staff will likely ask you to fill out some paperwork. This paperwork helps your healthcare team know important information about your health. Learn about How to Prepare for Surgery and What to Know Before Your Procedure.

Step 2: Check in with the nurse  

A nurse will call you back to a preparation area. This is where they will get you ready for your surgery. The nurse will: 

• Ask questions about your health and any medicines you take 
• Check your temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and breathing 
• Have you change into a hospital gown 
• Put a band with your name on your wrist 
• Place an IV and start giving IV fluids, if needed  

An IV line is a thin, flexible tube that is used to give you medicine and fluids. It might feel like a small pinch when they put it in. The IV stays in your arm until you are ready to go home and helps the healthcare team give you medicine quickly if you need it. At most facilities, your support person can be with you in the preparation area. Know that depending on the facility and the type of surgery, this may not always be the case.  

 Don’t be shy about asking questions if you have them. The nurse is there to help you feel comfortable and ready for your surgery or medical procedure.  

Step 3: Meet your anesthesia professional  

Your anesthesia professional, such as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), will meet with you before you go to the procedure room. This person is specially trained to keep you safe during the procedure.  

Your anesthesia professional will: 

• Introduce themselves and verify your name, surgeon, and the type of surgery being performed  
• Perform a quick heart and lung exam  
• Explain what anesthesia is and how it works 
• Answer any questions you have 
• Tell you what to expect when the medicine starts working 
• Ask about any allergies or past experiences with anesthesia 

Anesthesia involves giving medicine that helps you stay calm and comfortable during your surgery or medical procedure. Some people may be given some medication to help them relax or numb parts of their body before they go into the operating room (OR). How you’ll feel during and after anesthesia depends on the type of anesthesia. Learn more about the different types of anesthesia in the Anesthesia Essentials section. 

Step 4: Meet with your surgeon  

Your surgeon will meet with you before you go to the OR. This is your chance to: 

• Ask any last-minute questions 
• Tell them about any concerns you have 
• Confirm what type of surgery or medical procedure you are having  

The doctor might mark your skin with a pen to show where the surgery will take place. This is a safety measure to make sure everything happens in the right spot. It might feel a little strange, but it’s an important part of keeping you safe. If you haven’t already done so, you will sign your consent forms before you are taken to the OR and before the anesthesia professional gives you any medication.  

Step 5: Enter the OR and start anesthesia 

Now it’s time to head to the OR. You may be able to walk to the room with a staff member, but some facilities may require that you are taken there by stretcher or by wheelchair. Your support person can likely stay with you until you enter the OR, but this may vary based on the facility.  

The operating room will likely have bright lights, machines, equipment, and lots of different members of the healthcare team. Learn more about Anesthesia Equipment.  

Once you’re on the operating table, the healthcare team will: 

• Connect monitors to your chest and finger to track your heart rate and oxygen levels 
• Start giving you anesthesia medicine through the IV 

As the anesthesia starts working, you might feel: 

• Sleepy or relaxed 
• A little dizzy or floating 
• Warm or comfortable 

The anesthesia professional will be with you the whole time to make sure you’re safe and comfortable. 

Step 6: The surgery/procedure takes place 

During anesthesia, your anesthesia professional will monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, oxygen levels, and level of sedation. Based on these findings, they will adjust your anesthesia medications as needed to keep you safe and comfortable. During this process, your safety and comfort are the top priorities. Once the anesthesia is working, you won’t feel anything. Depending on the procedure, you might fall asleep completely, or you might be in a deep, relaxed state where you’re not aware of what’s happening. Depending on the type of anesthesia, such as General Anesthesia or Sedation, you may or may not remember what happens right before, during, or after your procedure. Either way, you won’t feel pain and you will be safe. Learn more about Pain Control During Surgery and Pain Medications. 

Step 7: Wake up and recovery 

When the surgery or medical procedure is finished, the anesthesia professional will stop giving you anesthesia medicine. As the medicine wears off, you’ll slowly start to wake up. This might take a few minutes or longer, depending on what type of anesthesia you were given. You’ll wake up in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), which is a special area where nurses can watch you closely as you wake up. Learn more about What to Expect when You Wake Up.  

Surgery and medical procedures might seem scary, but hospitals and surgery centers have trained professionals who do these procedures safely every single day. Your healthcare team’s job is to keep you safe, comfortable, and healthy.