Surgery
Surgery is a branch of medicine that involves treating diseases or injuries by adjusting or removing organs, tissues or bones. Surgery includes both necessary procedures, like cardiac surgery, or elective procedures, such as joint replacement.
Surgical care in Niceville
At HCA Florida Twin Cities Hospital, our surgical services department offers a wide range of outpatient and inpatient surgical procedures to treat many conditions.
Patients choose our hospital because we offer such amenities as a six-bed critical care unit, a dedicated cystoscopy room for urologic procedures, six outpatient surgery beds, three inpatient operating rooms and two outpatient operating rooms. We also offer a large reception area with a dedicated registrar and a preadmission office with streamlined admission processes.
Our surgical services
Surgeries can be simple or complex, but, in all cases, we make sure we perform it with the least invasive methods possible to reduce complications and quicken your recovery.
We offer a wide range of inpatient and outpatient surgeries, including:
- Ears, nose and throat (ENT) surgery
- General surgery
- Orthopedic surgery
- Spine surgery
- Thoracic and vascular surgery
- Urologic surgery
Preparing for your surgery
Our operating team works to make sure you get individualized care throughout your surgical experience.
Our surgeons and operating team
Our highly trained and specialized staff consists of:
- Anesthesiologists
- Board-certified surgeons and physicians
- Central sterile processing team
- Critical care nurses
- Licensed practical nurses
- Registered nurses
- Scrub technicians
We use an on-call system to ensure that staff members are available 24/7. Staffing is adjusted to meet our patients' needs and the needs of the surgeon.
Central sterile processing
At our hospital, we care about your safety. That's why we have a dedicated central sterile processing (CS) team.
Our CS team is responsible for processing and sterilizing instruments and reusable equipment throughout the hospital. Additionally, the CS team orders, stocks and maintains supplies for the operating rooms.
Preparing for a surgical procedure
Before the surgery begins, we'll educate you and your loved ones on the specifics of the surgery and the recovery process.
If you're scheduled for surgery at our hospital, you can expect the following:
- Before surgery, an anesthesiologist and an operating room nurse conduct interviews with you.
- You'll undergo a physical assessment.
- The doctor's orders are carried out.
- You will be dressed for surgery. You may be shaved, and the area being operated on will be marked.
- An intravenous (IV) line will be started, and your blood pressure, pulse and temperature will be taken.
- The anesthesiologist and operating room nurse will escort you into the operating room.
- The surgeon will perform the operation.
- After surgery, you'll either go to an area for post-operative care, depending on the type of anesthesia used during the procedure.
- If you're recovering from inpatient surgery, you will then be transferred to the Medical-Surgical-Telemetry Unit.
Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
Our PACU is staffed by critical care nurses who are trained in post-anesthesia care. Patients are moved to our PACU immediately after their inpatient and outpatient procedures.
Postoperative discharge requirements
Each patient that undergoes surgery must meet the following requirements before they may leave our hospital:
- Their blood pressure, pulse, breathing and temperature are within the normal limits for at least 30 minutes
- Their nausea, vomiting and dizziness are minimal
- They are as alert and oriented as they were before surgery
- They are not excessively bleeding
- They are not in severe pain
- They can drink fluids
- They can urinate
- They have a responsible adult present to accompany them home
Depending on the type of surgery, there may be additional requirements a patient must meet before they are discharged.
Visitor information
We have a designated waiting area for family members and significant others of patients undergoing surgery.
Loved ones can stay with the patient until the patient goes to the operating room. They can also see the patient once they are moved from the operating room to the Outpatient Surgery area.