Child Surgery Preparation

PREPARING FOR YOUR CHILD’S SURGERY

We encourage parents to discuss the procedure and the Surgery Center with their child beforehand to alleviate unnecessary stress. To help you in doing so, we’ve provided a short educational video.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Copper Ridge Surgery Center is open:
Monday through Friday from 5:45 AM – 6:00 PM

PRIOR TO SURGERY

If your child is under the age of one (1) year and receiving general anesthetic, you will receive a phone call from a pre-admission nurse. You will be asked questions about the medications your child takes (including dosages and frequency), their medical history, and their surgical history. Please follow your physician’s instructions if you received a pre-admission phone call from the Surgery Center.

Our Insurance Verification Staff will be in contact if you have a financial responsibility due at the time of service. Payments can be made by credit card, debit card, cash, money order, or personal check. We also accept Care Credit and have financing available to those who qualify. If you have questions regarding your financial responsibility, you may contact the Insurance Verification Staff directly at (231) 392-8908.

If your situation involves legal guardianship, please contact the Center prior to your procedure to prevent any delays in your procedure. Failure to provide guardianship paperwork and/or have the legal guardian present could lead to delay or cancellation of the procedure. 

Call the Surgery Center at (231) 392-8900 the day before the scheduled procedure between the hours of 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM to receive your arrival time. If the procedure is on a Monday, please call the Surgery Center on the Friday prior to your child’s procedure for your arrival time. If you have received an arrival time from the physician’s office, you do not have to call the Surgery Center. 
If you should need to cancel or reschedule a procedure, please notify the physician’s office to make those arrangements.

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE PROCEDURE

The following instructions are very important and MUST be followed; otherwise, it may be necessary to cancel your child’s procedure. If you have questions regarding these instructions, please contact your physician’s office prior to your child’s procedure. 

• Age 0-11 months: NO food after midnight; clear liquids (apple juice or water only) up to 3 hours prior to arrival. 
• Age 1-9 years: NO food after midnight, including chewing gum or mints/hard candy; breast milk or clear liquids (apple juice or water only) up to 4 hours prior to arrival. 
• Age 10 years: NO food after midnight, including chewing gum or mints/hard candy; formula, breast milk, or clear liquids (apple juice or water only) up to 6 hours prior to arrival.

REMEMBER:

• Remove all baby bottles from the crib at night. Inform family members that the child should not be given anything to eat or drink. 
• If appropriate for the child’s age, remove all drinking glasses from the bathroom. Do not let the child brush his/her teeth the morning of surgery due to the risk of swallowing water.
• Notify your physician if your child develops a cold, persistent cough, fever, or any other health-related problem prior to their scheduled procedure.
• If your child has siblings, it is not uncommon for them to have reactions to their brother or sister’s procedure. They may feel fear, anger, confusion, and even jealousy at the attention the child having surgery is receiving.

ON DAY OF SURGERY

• DO allow children to wear their pajamas to the Surgery Center. They may also bring a security item, such as a favorite blanket or small, soft toy.
• DO follow eating and drinking instructions carefully; otherwise, it may be necessary to cancel your child’s procedure. 
• You will stay with your child until the time of their procedure and will join them in recovery as soon as possible after they wake.

PLEASE BRING:

• Please bring your child's COVID vaccination card with you to the appointment, if they have one.
• Your photo ID 
• Insurance card(s) 
• A list of all medications your child takes, including dosages and frequency. Please include vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies.
• Legal guardianship papers, if applicable. A legal guardian must be present.
• Extra diapers or undergarments. 
• If the child takes a bottle or uses a special cup, bring one empty and one with their usual formula.

AFTER SURGERY

• After the procedure, your child will rest in our recovery room under the constant care of our nursing staff. When your child wakes, we will bring you back to Phase 1 to be with them during their recovery. It is normal for your child to be groggy and sleepy as they wake. 
• Children recovering from anesthesia may experience a variety of emotions. It is common for a child to be confused, scared, or even sad as they wake. Your child may also have some pain or experience nausea as they wake. Our post-anesthesia care nurses are specially trained to care for patients of all ages recovering from anesthesia and will work closely with you and your child to make sure your child is as comfortable as possible. 
• A physician or nurse will answer your questions and provide you with detailed discharge instructions prior to leaving the Surgery Center.

LEAVING THE SURGERY CENTER

• For most procedures, you will be ready to leave the Surgery Center within 2 hours following completion of your child’s surgery. 
• We recommend that one adult drive the vehicle and another adult care for the child following discharge from the Surgery Center.

WHEN YOU GET HOME

• DO follow your discharge and post-operative instructions carefully.
• It is common to experience minor effects following anesthesia, such as drowsiness, nausea, a sore throat, or headache. These side effects decline in the hours following the procedure but may take several days before they are gone completely. 
• It is common for your child to experience constipation after surgery. The most common causes of constipation after surgery are pain medications and anesthesia. 
• Contact your physician if you have questions about what your child can and cannot do and how active they may be. 
• If your child has siblings, it is not uncommon for them to have reactions to their brother or sister’s procedure. They may feel fear, anger, confusion, and even jealousy at the attention the child who had surgery is receiving. 
• If your child develops unexpected pain, bleeding, or a significant fever, have your physician paged by calling (231) 935-5000 or immediately proceed to the hospital emergency room.