3 Post Operative Recovery Beds
Immediately after your surgery, you may be taken to the recovery room, also called the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit or PACU. You will be there for approximately one to two hours. After recovery you will be assigned a room in the Outpatient Surgery Center or to a hospital inpatient bed, should you need an extended recovery stay.
Pain Relief
You have the right to:
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Facts and answers to your questions about pain and pain relief.
A sense your report of pain is believed by your doctor or nurse.
A feeling the staff cares about your pain.
A quick response from your nurse or doctor when you report pain.
The best pain relief treatments on hand.
Ways you can help:
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Ask your doctor or nurse what to expect.
Talk about pain relief choices with your doctor or nurse.
Work with your doctor or nurse to make a pain relief plan.
Ask for pain relief as soon as the pain begins.
Help doctors and nurses measure your pain.
Tell your doctor or nurse about any pain that will not go away.
Talking About Pain Relief
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Tell your doctor or nurse that you are in pain.
Keep a diary with notes about when and where your pain happens.
Here are some questions that you might try to answer when you talk to your doctor or nurse about pain:
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Where is the pain located? Chest, shoulder, neck, back, arm, leg, foot, hand, head, or other.
How would you describe the pain? Sharp, dull, aching, throbbing, pins and needles, or other.
Does the pain come and go, or is it there all the time?
What makes the pain better? Is it better when I lay down, stand up, walk, sit in a chair, sleep, eat, read, move in a certain way?
What makes the pain worse? Is it worse when I lay down, stand up, walk, sit in a chair, read, sleep, eat, get dressed, move in a certain way?
Does the pain stop you when you lie down, stand up, walk, sit in a chair, read, sleep, eat, bathe, get dressed, move in a certain way?