If you and your surgeon decide you are a candidate for hip or knee replacement surgery, you have taken the first step in your journey. We urge you to learn all you can in advance about the procedure you are about to have. Understanding what to expect will help reduce your stress, which in turn can reduce discomfort. You are the center of your care team; take an active role.
Patient education guide books: Your surgeon will give you a patient education guide when you are scheduled for hip or knee replacement surgery. The guide books were prepared by the people involved in your care: surgeons, nurses and therapists. The books outline the steps leading up to and following surgery. They explain what you need to do to get ready.
DVD: Inside your patient handbook you will find an educational DVD. Watch it with someone who will be helping care for you after surgery. It covers much of the information in the handbook and more.
Pre-Operative Hip and Knee Replacement classes: These classes are offered in three different ways/locations. First, via conference call every Wednesday and Friday. Second, in person on most Wednesdays at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend on the second floor. Third, in person on the second and third Friday of each month at Slocum Orthopedics, 55 Coburg Rd, Eugene. We urge you to attend one of these one-hour sessions three to four weeks prior to your surgery date. You are welcome to bring one friend or family member who will be assisting you after surgery. The class covers:
- How to prepare for surgery and what to bring to the hospital
- Daily activities in the hospital
- What to expect when you arrive in your hospital room after surgery
- How to prepare for discharge from the hospital
- Home discharge expectations