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Northwest Hospital provides a wide variety of surgical procedures – some requiring a hospital stay and some on an outpatient basis. The length of your hospital stay will depend on the type of surgery you are having. With recent changes in medicine, technology and health insurance, many patients are able to go home sooner after surgery than before.

Regardless of your length of stay, our staff is committed to helping you understand the entire surgical experience at Northwest Hospital – from preparation for your surgery and day-of activities to what happens after surgery and your return home.

Throughout your stay, you will meet various members of your health care team – including physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, case managers, social workers, clinical nurse specialists and support personnel, to name a few. We encourage you and your family to ask questions and participate in your care. This will help your supporters feel more comfortable while you are in the hospital, and help them assist you once you are home.

Your Surgical Experience Before your surgery, you will be given instructions to follow by your physician and the pre-admission nurse. If you do not follow these instructions carefully, your surgery may have to be postponed.

All patients scheduled for surgery on the main hospital campus, should report to the Day Surgery entrance of the hospital. It is located toward the back of the campus, facing 120th street, near the large totem pole. During your hospital stay, a family member or friend can be with you in the pre-surgical area before surgery and in the Day Surgery recovery area. After surgery, if you are moved to a room on one of our medical units, your family and friends can be with you during normal visiting hours.

When you are ready to go home, your physician or nurse will give specific instructions on how to care for yourself and who to call if you have problems. If you spend time recovery time in our Day Surgery unit and are discharged the day of your surgery, a nurse will call you within 48 hours of your return home to follow up on your recovery.