Parent Guide

Registration

Call our pre-registration office about two weeks prior to your child's surgery. We will ask you for information such as insurance identification and social security numbers. If guardianship is with anyone other than the biological or adoptive parent, we require proof of guardianship. You may also need to determine where to stay if you are traveling to Jacksonville.

Pre-Admission Screening

You will receive a call prior to your child's surgery to confirm or acquire your child's medical history. The nurse will tell you about the events that will occur on the day of surgery. Please provide a correct phone number at which you can be reached.

Pre-op instructions You will be given a surgery time and asked to report to one of these locations at our main campus in downtown Jacksonville.

You will be given instructions regarding what your child may eat and drink in the hours leading up to surgery. For example, the instructions may say:

• No food, milk, formula or breast milk* after midnight the day of the surgery.
• May have only apple juice, Gatorade, water or Pedialyte until "a certain time."
• Absolutely nothing after the assigned time.
  *Children 11 months or younger can have breast milk, but only up to six hours prior to surgery.

Failure to follow instructions exactly could cause postponement or cancellation of surgery. Additionally, the surgeon may provide you with special instructions in preparation for the surgery.

You'll be asked to bring all or some of the following:

• Socks or slippers
• Empty baby bottle or cup
• Special feeding or suction equipment
• Bathrobe or housecoat
• Favorite toy or security object
• Loose-fitting clothes

You'll also be asked to remove the following from your child:

• All jewelry
• Fingernail polish
• Hair accessories
• Contact lenses
• Retainers

If your child should develop a cold, fever, rash or any other signs of infection or is exposed to a communicable disease (i.e., chicken pox) in the two weeks prior to his or her scheduled surgery, please call your surgeon's office immediately. If you must cancel your child's surgery for any reason, please be sure to call your physician's office.

The Afternoon Before Surgery

You will receive a call between 3 pm and 4 pm on the afternoon before your child's surgery. At this time, we will tell you what time to arrive at the facility. During this call, a pediatric surgical nurse will review feeding instructions and answer any questions you may have. Your child may have clear liquids up to four hours before his or her scheduled surgery time.

Location and Parking

The day before your child's scheduled surgery, you will be advised exactly where to go at Wolfson Children’s Hospital.

Parking at Wolfson Children's Hospital is free. A five-story parking garage on Palm Avenue serves Wolfson Children's Hospital. The garage is open 24 hours a day and it has an elevator that provides easy transport to the hospital. If you need assistance, call Security at 904.202.1355.

Due to space constraints, we request only two adults accompany each child. Adult attention should be concentrated on the child having surgery; therefore, other children should not accompany the family.

Please be on time or risk delay or cancellation of your child's scheduled surgery. Please take into consideration possible delays due to traffic or unexpected circumstances when you are making your arrangements to come to the facility. 

If your child has a favorite blanket, toy or cup, you may bring it with you. Please do not bring valuables as we are unable to assume responsibility for them. Please bring socks or slippers for your child to wear.

When you arrive at the facility, we will ask your child to change into a hospital gown and will then check his or her temperature, pulse, blood pressure, height and weight. For the comfort of your child as well as other children, no food or drink is allowed in the waiting area.

When it’s time for surgery, we will escort you and your child to an area where you will meet the anesthesiologist and operating room nurse.

While your child is undergoing surgery or is in the Phase I Recovery Area, we ask that you remain in the surgery waiting area until the physician has spoken with you. A staff member or volunteer will be present to keep you informed of your child's progress.

After your child arrives in the Phase II Recovery Area, you will be asked to join him or her. We encourage you to participate in your child's care.

Your child may experience some nausea and/or vomiting. It is not unexpected to have a flushed face. We will give your child clear liquids to drink. The length of stay after surgery is individualized.

Once your child has met discharge requirements, a nurse will review instructions with you regarding diet, wound care, activity and when your child should return to see the doctor.

If you wish, you may fill prescriptions while on campus at the pharmacy listed below or at one of the nearby Walgreens Pharmacies.

It is good for your child to rest as much as possible. Temporary nausea or vomiting are quite common after discharge. If your child experiences any unexpected symptoms, such as fever or more than a little bleeding or pain, call your surgeon immediately.

A nurse will call you the day after your child's surgery to make sure your child is recovering normally. We would greatly appreciate it if you would complete and return the patient questionnaire you will receive upon discharge. Information from the parents of our patients helps us to plan and improve our service in the future. We want to hear from you!

We are committed to making your child's visit as pleasant and safe as possible. We appreciate you allowing us to be such an important part of your child's surgical experience.