Prior to Your Admission

Prior to your admission you will be contacted by the pre admission nurse at the hospital,to inform you about your upcoming hospital stay allowing you to time to ask any questions that you may have Before you come into hospital there are a few things you need to check.

Make sure to bring all your reports including documents, CDs and scans with you when you come to hospital for admission.

If any further tests are requested after consulting Dr Joshi – It is your responsibility to inform his secretary when the tests are done for Dr Joshi to review.

Know your medications and your allergies. Inform the staff about them.

Remember to stop any medications that you were advised to following your consultation with Dr Joshi. Bring your CPAP machine to hospital if you use one at home.

On the Day of Your Admission

Recovery from lung surgery depends on many factors but there are two (2) that you must take total control over.

  • You must stop smoking. If you have ceased or never started, then congratulations. We know that smoking drastically increases the risk of post-operative complications after lung surgery. You must stop smoking for at least 4-6 weeks before surgery.
  • Have positive feelings about your recovery as these aid healing. It is expected that when you leave hospital you will be able to shower, dress, and feed yourself, do your deep breathing and coughing exercises, and mobilize independently even though you are likely to be slower than usual and tire more quickly.

Please plan for your hospital stay including

  • How you will get to hospital
  • How you will get home from hospital
  • Arrange to have someone at home with you for at least week after you leave hospital.
  • Organise help with your shopping, laundry, housework, pets and lawns etc.
  • Financial arrangements as required
  • Organise medical certificates as required

If you will need assistance after surgery, then while you are in hospital you can be referred to the social worker for an assessment and arrangement of appropriate support.

Your recovery process will be monitored very closely. Support from medical, nursing and allied health will be available to you, your family and support persons. It is important to know that your stay in hospital will be short, but we ensure your discharge is safe and appropriate. Most of your recovery from lung surgery takes place at home.