Prevent Medical Errors
Prevent Errors During Surgery
Before you have surgery, be sure that you and all your doctors know what is going to happen. Ask about:
- Your surgeon's experience. You may get better results if your surgeon has done a lot of operations.
- When you'll have your surgery. Your surgical team may be more alert in the morning.
- How to prepare for the surgery. Ask your doctor if you have to stop taking any medicines or stop eating or drinking before the surgery. Be sure that your doctor knows which part of your body to operate on. It's rare that surgery is done on the wrong part of the body, but it can happen. Tell your surgeon it's okay to mark your skin in advance to point to the correct area for surgery.
- What to do after surgery. Ask about medicines you may need after surgery and what you need to do at home. Ask about what you can or can't eat and how to take care of surgical cuts (incisions). Ask when you need to call for help.
Be sure to tell your doctors:
- Whether you have ever had a bad reaction to anesthesia. Anesthesia is the medicine you get before your surgery to make you sleep or feel relaxed and help with pain.
- Whether you take any vitamins, supplements, or herbal remedies.
- Whether you have an advance directive. If you don't have one, you may want to prepare one so your doctor knows your health care wishes.
- If you get a cold, fever, flu, or other illness close to your surgery date.
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| Author: |
Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Paul Lehnert |
Last Updated: September 4, 2008 |
| Medical Review: |
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine |
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| Topic Contents | |
| What Are Medical Errors? | |
| What You Can Do to Prevent Medical Errors | |
| Prevent Errors with Medicines | |
| Prevent Errors in the Hospital | |
 | Prevent Errors During Surgery |
| Other Places To Get Help | |
| Related Information | |
| References | |
| Credits | |