Before Surgery
Recovery after your total hip replacement surgery takes time. To help you recover, use the following checklists to get ready before you come to the hospital for surgery.
Disposition:
Plan to stay in the hospital after your surgery. Typically, people stay in the hospital for one or two nights after total hip replacement surgery.
Going Home After Surgery
For most people, the best option is to go directly home from the hospital after total hip replacement surgery. Another option is to go to a loved one's home.
I understand I will need help for the first 7 to 14 days at home. I have identified and spoken with the person(s) - spouse, children, friends, neighbors - who will help me. They are known as my caregivers. Their names are:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
The people I have asked to be my caregivers are willing and able to help me:
Get up out of a chair.
Get on and off the toilet.
Get in and out of bed.
With meals.
With dressing and bathing.
Do heavy housework such as laundry, vacuuming and general cleaning.
I understand I should not be alone for more than 3 to 4 hours at a time during the first 1 to 2 weeks at home.
Going to Skilled Care Facility After Surgery
Arrange to stay in a skilled care facility, such as a nursing home or swing-bed unit in a local hospital if you do not have a spouse, children, friends or neighbors who are willing and able to help you as described.
For help finding skilled care facilities, call (WHO??) . You can also look for skilled care facilities online at www.medicare.gov.
I or my family has called or visited skilled care facilities well before my surgery date.
I have chosen a skilled care facility. I have arranged to go there 3 days after my surgery. The skilled care facility I will go to after I leave the hospital is:
The telephone number for this facility is _________________________________________
Bring the name, address and phone number of the skilled care facility with you to the hospital.
If you want help from a home health care agency, choose and contact one before you go to the hospital. Your health care provider can help you arrange the assistance you will need at home. Check with your insurance for information about what is covered.
Prepare Your Home For After Surgery:
Plan for a temporary decrease in your activity. If you are not sure how your total hip replacement surgery might affect your activity level, talk to your health care provider.
Plan to leave your home clean and in order, so you do not have to clean it right after you get home from the hospital.
Remove throw rugs and clutter from traffic paths.
If possible, rearrange your bedroom. Allow extra space for getting into and out of bed when you use crutches or a walker.
Move a bed to the main floor, if possible.
In your living room, put a table with any supplies you need - such as books and magazines, hobby supplies, television remote, a telephone - next to a sturdy chair with arms. The chair should not be a recliner.The chair should be high enough so your knees are lower than your waist when you sit with your feet flat on the floor.
Arrange your kitchen so that you can easily reach the things you use the most. Put these items in places so that you don't have to bend, reach or lift them.
In your kitchen, put a sturdy chair that you can get out of easily.
Before you go to the hospital, prepare and freeze meals you can use after your return home.
Ask your mail and newspaper carriers to deliver to your door, if possible.
If you wish, ask your religious or spiritual leader to visit you as you recover.
What to bring to the hospital
Comfortable, nonskid walking or athletic shoes with elastic laces or Velcro™ fasteners.
A cane, walker, crutches and other assistive devices to use to dress your lower body, such as a reacher or a long-handled shoehorn - if you own them.
Soft, loose-fitting clothes such as jogging suits and sweatpants with pockets. Then you can carry small items. Tight-fitting clothes may be uncomfortable after surgery.
Personal items such as books, magazines and a cell phone.
Women: Gowns and robes; knee length only. Bring panties. May wear shorts, sweatpants, and T-shirts, or a hospital gown with a robe, if you prefer.
Men: Short pajamas or exercise shorts and T-shirts. May prefer hospital gown with a robe. Bring underwear.
A list of prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and vitamin or herbal supplements you take, including the doses and times that you take them.
Money or credit card to pay for take-home medications.
Electric razor.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine if you use one at home while you sleep.
Leave personal valuables such as jewelry at home.
The day before your surgery
You will get anesthesia for this surgery. Therefore, follow these instructions for eating and drinking:
Starting 6 hours before:
Stop eating solid food.
Stop drinking any non-clear liquids (such as milk or orange or tomato juice).
You may continue drinking clear liquids such as water, clear fruit juice (such as apple or white grape; no orange or tomato juice), carbonated beverages, clear broth, gelatin (such as JELL-O™), ice pops or Popsicles™ (no pulp), clear tea or black coffee (no milk or creamer).
If you have a feeding tube, stop putting feedings through the tube. You may continue putting water or other clear liquids through the tube.
Starting 2 hours before: Stop drinking anything.
If you have a feeding tube, stop putting water or other clear liquids through the tube.
Continue taking medication, unless you are told otherwise. Do not take vitamins or supplements the morning of the procedure.
If you have diabetes, before your procedure contact the health care provider who manages your insulin or other diabetes medications for specific instructions on taking (or adjusting) them.
If you take blood-thinning medications: Before your surgery, your blood-thinning medication routine may need to be changed. Talk with your health care provider who manages these medications as soon as you can. Because blood-thinning medications affect clotting and bleeding, both the health care provider who manages these medications and your surgeon need to decide if your medications should change.
The evening before your surgery
Take a shower or bath the evening before and morning of surgery. Bathing helps to lower the amount of bacteria on the skin. Bathing may lower your risk of infection after surgery. You may be given an antibacterial soap to use.