Resources

Instructions for Same Day Admission or Ambulatory Surgery

The day before your surgery, you will be called by a Registered Nurse to confirm the time you should arrive at Duke Hospital. If you will not be at home the day before your surgery, please call 919-684-4718 or 1-800-382-6238 between 4:00 PM and 7:30 PM for your surgical arrival time. If surgery is scheduled on the day following a holiday, please call the day before the holiday. If your surgery is on a Monday, please call on Friday for the surgical arrival time.
The arrival time it is the time you need to arrive at Duke University Hospital to get ready for surgery. The nurse will ask where you are staying the night before surgery in case there is a need to contact you.

Please follow the instructions given to you by your surgeon or health team professional about your medication, skin care and bowel preparation.

Please note – your surgery will be cancelled if these instructions are not followed.
Do not eat anything after midnight prior to your surgery.
Do not drink anything after midnight prior to your surgery, except for sips of water to take your medications.
Certain patients may be allowed clear liquids until 2 hours before their hospital arrival time.
Only patients specifically instructed by a doctor, nurse or his/her designee may drink clear fluids after midnight.
Clear fluids are: water, sports drinks, sodas, clear tea and black coffee (sugar allowed but not milk or cream).
The day before your surgery, do not eat or drink after midnight. Be sure to follow any instructions given to you by your surgeon or health team professional about your medications.
Call your surgeon's office or the Duke Hospital Preoperative area at 919-684-4718 or 1-800-382-6238 if your health changes in any way, for example, if you develop a cold, cough, fever, or chills.
If your surgeon lets you go home the day of surgery, it is required that a responsible adult drive you home and stay with you for 24 hours after surgery.

If your baby is less than 6 months old, please feed him or her as you usually would until 4 hours before the time you have been asked to arrive at the hospital. The baby may continue to have water, breast milk, or clear apple juice 2 hours before the arrival time. If your child is older than 6 months of age, he or she may have no food, dairy products or juices with pulp after midnight, but may have clear apple juice or water until 3 hours before the arrival time.
A responsible adult (parent, guardian or a person who is able to make decisions regarding the patient) must accompany children under the age of 18.
The responsible adult is expected to remain at the hospital until the surgeon has spoken to him or her at the end of the surgery.

Please leave all valuables (money and jewelry) at home. To prevent having your glasses, contacts and dental appliances from being lost, please give them to the designated family member who accompanies you to the Preoperative Holding dressing room.
You may prefer to take a bath or shower the morning of surgery.
Brush your teeth, but do not swallow the water.
Please do not wear any makeup, lipstick, finger, or toe nail polish.
If you have long hair, braid it or tie it back with a rubber band.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
You do not need to bring pajamas -- patient gowns are provided.
When appropriate, bring crutches or walker.

Valet parking for a fee (Duke Hospital - Main Entrance) is available from 7 AM to 7 PM, Monday through Friday
Valet parking for a fee (Duke Clinic - Main Entrance) is available from 7AM to 6 PM, Monday through Friday
Patients may be dropped off at the main entrance of the hospital.
For wheelchair assistance, please go to the Duke University Hospital main entrance. Wheelchairs are located in the main lobby. If you arrive before 7 AM and need wheelchair assistance, use the lobby phone and call Duke Escort Service 681-2400.
An hourly parking garage is located across from Duke University Hospital. Enter the Parking garage from Elba Street. Enter Duke Hospital though the main entrance.
From the garage you can get to Duke University Hospital underground by using the Rapid Transit (RT) train or walking from the garage elevator area through the tunnel to the main bank of elevators on the ‘RT’ level (lowest level). Take an elevator to the third floor.
You can also walk across Erwin road from the garage by exiting the garage on the 2nd level and crossing Erwin road at the cross walk. Go to the main entrance of the hospital. Walk through the main lobby to the elevators.
Take an elevator to the third floor.
When you exit the third floor elevator, please check in at the Registration/Information desk.

You will need to sign in at the 3rd floor Duke Hospital Registration/Information Desk.
Due to limited seating, only two visitors per patient are allowed in the surgical waiting room at one time.
Courtesy pagers are available for family members who would like to leave the surgical waiting room for short periods of time. Please return the beepers to the Pre-Surgical Information/Registration desk so they will be available to other families.
A coffee machine is located in the surgical waiting room for those not having surgery.
When it is surgical time, you will be shown to a dressing room where you will change into a hospital gown.
Glasses, contact lenses and dentures must be removed before surgery.
The Preoperative area cannot be responsible for any valuables.
Please leave valuables at home or with a designated family member.

The day of surgery, you will meet members of the Anesthesia and Surgery team in the hospital Preoperative Holding area. The Anesthesia team will consist of an Anesthesiologist and Resident in Anesthesia, Certified Nurse Anesthetist, or Fellow in Anesthesia. If your child is older than 6 months, you may be allowed to go with your child to the operating room while he/she goes to sleep. This will be determined by the Anesthesiologist.

After Surgery, most adult patients are admitted to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). The PACU is a critical care unit providing care and treatment to patients recovering from the effects of anesthesia. A pediatric patient will be admitted to the Children’s PACU. If you are having thoracic surgery which requires hospital admission, you will be admitted to the intensive care unit for a period of 4-6 hours. Other complex surgery may require intensive care unit admission after surgery.
Patient visitation must be limited to safely provide patient's care and confidentiality. Visitation in the adult PACU, the pediatric PACU is permitted only for parents of children under age 16. ICU visitation is arranged on an individual basis with the nurse caring for the patient.
To facilitate communication, PACU staff will inform waiting room staff of a patient's progress, room assignment, and other important updates. We would appreciate a family member to maintain communication with the waiting room staff. After your surgery you will either be discharged or admitted to the hospital.

If you have completed and notarized forms (Advance Directives, Power of Attorney, or a Living Will) please bring them with you the day of your surgery.
Any questions or need for assistance in obtaining these documents, please ask the Preoperative Screening Unit nurse during your Preoperative Screening visit or call Patient/Visitor Relations Office at (919) 681-2020 week days (8AM to 7PM, Monday through Friday).
For Advance directive information during evenings and weekends, please call (919) 684-8111 and ask the Duke Operator to page the Operations Administrator on call.