Preparing ahead for my discharge home

Before having surgery, it’s important to prepare for your recovery and discharge home. The longer you spend in hospital the more planning you may need to do. 

Some examples of planning ahead might be:

• arranging someone to look after your pets while you’re in hospital
• having someone stay with you when you get home. 

It’s also important to find out how long you will be in hospital and what your discharge options are. 

What your healthcare team might ask you:

• Who is your support person?
• Questions about your home. For example, how many steps you have, or do you have any equipment for the shower or toilet?
• Do other people rely on you for care?
• Do you work?
• Do you drive?
• Do you have pets who need looking after?
• How active are you, for example, how far can you walk, or do you shower and dress yourself?

How many days will I be in hospital?

Your healthcare team will discuss with you how long you need to stay in hospital. This is called length of stay. For example, some people may go in and out of hospital on the same day, while others may need to stay longer. 

Many factors impact how long you stay in hospital. These factors can be:

• medications you are on
• your level of physical activity before the surgery
• your supports at home
• other health conditions you might have. 

Where possible, if you need to stay in hospital after your surgery, you will be told in advance. 

The aim is for you to return home as soon as it’s safe. This is because evidence shows most people recover faster at home.

Questions you might ask your healthcare team:

• How long will I be in hospital?
• Can I have a support person stay with me?
• How will I know when I will be ready to go home?
• How much warning will I get when being discharged?

What to expect for my recovery in hospital

Everybody will recover from surgery differently. Things like age, prior levels of physical activity and the type of surgery you have can affect your recovery. 

On the day of your surgery, your physiotherapist or nurse will get you out of bed standing and walking as soon as it is safe. This may feel like it is quick to get moving but evidence shows the faster you get moving, the faster your recovery. 

The quicker you get home, the lower your risk of getting sick with other things while in hospital. 

Questions you might ask your healthcare team:

• How long will recovery take?
• When will I be able to drive again?
• How long do I need to take off work?
• How long should I stop my community services for?

How will I get home from hospital?

Before coming into hospital for surgery it’s important to arrange for someone to drive you home once you’re discharged. It’s often recommended not to drive for at least 24 hours after surgery.

For some surgeries, your medical and allied health teams may recommend you stop driving until you have recovered. 

Speak with your healthcare team to understand how long you can’t drive for as you will need to plan for this.

If you don’t have anyone available to drive you, speak with your healthcare team early to help you arrange a safe way to get home.

Transport assistance scheme

The Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS) may be available if you live a long way from your hospital or medical specialist, and you meet eligibility criteria. 

For more information, see Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS) on Health.vic. 

Preparing ahead for my recovery at home

Planning ahead helps you prepare for your return home and makes your discharge from hospital smoother and safer.

Learn about signs and symptoms

Before you have your surgery, it is helpful to understand what to look for when you get home that could indicate you need to seek help. 

Ask your healthcare team for a list of what signs and symptoms you should be looking out for after your surgery and show this list to your support person. 

Safety at Home

Before your surgery, your healthcare team will provide you with the information and support required to remain safe at home. 

To prepare yourself, there are simple things you can do to set up your environment before having surgery, including: 

• making up a bed
• having ready-made meals in the freezer 
• having a look around your home for fall risks such as: 
  • walkways with clutter
  • pets that jump up on you or walk around your feet
  • dimly lit rooms
  • cords you might trip over
  • seating you can’t get out of
  • objects high up in cupboards.

If you have same day surgery, you may still experience some effects from the sedation or anaesthesia. This may impact your ability to do usual tasks and can increase your risk of falls. Once again, plan ahead for this. For more information, see Better Health Channel’s Day surgery.

Equipment needs

Equipment may be needed during your recovery to help you walk, dress, use the bathroom, shower or relieve pressure from a wound. Your healthcare team will assess whether you need any additional equipment for your safety so you can plan to have these ready at home.

It is also important for your recovery to follow your walking recommendations, such as using walking aids, crutches or walking frame.

If you have a disability or require additional support when you get home, make sure to tell your healthcare team early so it can be arranged before you get home. 

Support from community services or family and friends after surgery

After surgery you may need the help of community services or family and friends as you recover. It’s important to identify these needs early, so let your healthcare team know before your surgery.

Your healthcare team may arrange short-term community services if you need extra help. This may include help for:

• personal care (for example, showering)
• home care (for example, shopping and cleaning)
• community nursing or allied health (for example, physiotherapy).

Sometimes it can feel overwhelming to navigate community care and to know what you need. If you need help, a social worker, liaison officer or similar team member will be able to assist you and your family. 

If you have day surgery, you will require a support person or carer to monitor you and care for you on your first night. If you don’t have a support person to stay with you, talk to your healthcare team about options. 

Support for your carer

When you are caring for someone after surgery it can be stressful depending on the surgery and your personal circumstances. 

As a carer if you are concerned about the patient, speak with the healthcare team. You can also record important details on a printable document we’ve designed specifically for this purpose, see Carers resources, in Resources.

For more information about support for carers, see Carer services and support on Better Health Channel.

What are my discharge options?

Understanding what your discharge options are and discussing these with your healthcare team allows you to prepare for your recovery after surgery. 

Talk with your healthcare team about the discharge options your hospital provides and what will be safe for you. 

Recovery and rehabilitation can take place either in hospital or at home. It’s better to recover at home if you have a suitable home environment and the support to do this such as somebody to drive you to appointments or help to prepare meals.