Hysterectomy

Hospital recovery

Yale-New Haven Hospital staff are dedicated to making sure your recovery is as smooth as possible during your two-to four-day stay.

When you are ready to leave the recovery room, an Environmental Associate (EA) will take you by stretcher to one of the 36 private rooms on the 9th floor of the West Pavilion (Children’s Hospital), where you will have a bed, a bathroom and enough room for one relative to stay.

There the rest of your patient care team will introduce themselves. A Primary Care Nurse will coordinate your care with other members of the team. A Patient Care Associate (PCA) will take vital signs, draw blood and help you with feeding, dressing and taking a shower the morning after surgery. An EA will assist in transporting you and keep your room and floor clean.

How you will be feeling
You will experience some pain from the surgery and excess gas as your bowel recovers from anesthesia.

A nurse will tell you how to control your pain medication—typically morphine—with patient controlled analgesia (PCA), pain medication from a pump that is connected to your IV. The pump allows you to deliver your medication yourself and is programmed so there is no chance of overdose. The nurse will ask you what your level of pain is on a scale of 1-10 (10 is the worst), and make sure you are using the pump to stay at a pain level of 4 or less.

Gas pain will go away as the gas is released with the help of a clear liquid diet and exercise. Your bowel sounds will be monitored during the first few days of recovery.

Here is what else you can expect:

• You will get out of bed the first night with assistance, and you’ll be encouraged to walk on your own four to six times a day as you feel better.
• An IV will continue to provide pain medication, fluids and antibiotics.
• You may need to use a sanitary napkin for any vaginal bleeding that results from surgery.
• A nurse will check your incision every day and change the dressing if necessary.
• Nonabsorbable staples or sutures may be removed before you go home.
• You will be on a liquid diet until your intestines begin to function normally. Your doctor will decide when you can resume your usual diet.
• There will be daily checks of your incision and bowel, bladder and lung function.
• Depending on your condition, your nurse will discuss your needs for skilled nursing services at home. If you think you qualify for the services of a visiting nurse when you go home, ask to speak to a care coordinator.

Last revised: October 5, 2004 (jj)

Home page URL: http://www.ynhh.org

All information is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen.