Surgical Services

Surgical Services at Littleton Regional Healthcare

The dedicated staff and surgeons at Littleton Regional Healthcare are here to care for you. If you are having a surgical procedure at Littleton Regional Healthcare, please review the following Having Surgery at Littleton Regional Healthcare (PDF).

In addition to our surgeons and anesthesia providers, our team is comprised of registered nurses, registered nurse’s first assistants, certified first assistants, and certified surgical technicians. Our department provides surgical services for elective surgery during regular business hours, and we also provide 24-hour on-call coverage for emergency care.

Important Information

Each patient has a team of experts caring for them:
SDS/Pre-op RN – these nurses will confirm your health history, provide education and pre-operative care such as starting your IV, lab draws, hair removal, etc. They are also your caregivers immediately after your stay in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Our pre-op nurses have extensive, varied backgrounds in all specialties of nursing.

Surgeon – your surgeon is a physician who is trained in a surgical specialty.

Surgical Assistant – Surgical assistants have advanced training – they may be OR nurses or surgical techs who have taken classes and fulfilled clinical hours in surgical assisting or your surgeon’s physician assistant (PA) or advance practice RN (APRN). Not all procedures require surgical assistants.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) – Advanced practice registered nurses who work with the surgeon and administer all anesthetics and pain blocks. They continuously monitor you throughout the surgery. OR Nurse (circulating nurse) – Your OR nurse has had specialized training in perioperative nursing. They are the patient’s advocates during surgery. OR nurses are responsible for maintaining a sterile environment in the OR, coordinating your care, and fulfilling the needs of the sterile team.

Surgical Technicians – allied health professionals whose role is to create and maintain the sterile field and assemble and hand the instruments to the surgeon. Some OR nurses also have additional training in “scrubbing”. PACU/Recovery Room Nurses – specialize in providing care to the patient during the immediate post-operative period. Our PACU nurses have many years of critical care nursing experience.

Your Pre-Op Appointment

Your surgery or procedure will be scheduled by your provider’s office. At this time, the provider’s office will also schedule you for a pre-operative/pre-procedure visit or phone call with a registered nurse.

Preparation for Your Pre-Op Appointment Phone Call:

  • Write down any questions or concerns you have regarding your upcoming procedure.
  • Be prepared to tell us about your current medications, including the dosages.
  • Be prepared to tell us about your allergies and any known reactions.
  • Be prepared to discuss your health history including a list of your previous surgical procedures.
  • Please plan on this interview requiring about 30 minutes of your time.

Preparation for Your pre-op Appointment Visit

Prior to Your Visit:

  • Write down and bring with you any questions or concerns you have regarding your upcoming procedure.
  • Be prepared to tell us about your current medications, including the dosages. Bringing a written medication list to your appointment is extremely beneficial.
  • Be prepared to tell us about your allergies, including any known reactions.
  • Be prepared to discuss your health history, including a list of your previous surgical procedures.
  • You will be asked about your most recent Pneumovax and flu vaccine. You may obtain this information from your primary care provider’s office.

When You Arrive for Your Visit:

  • We ask that you check in with the admissions department on arrival to the hospital.
  • Please plan on this interview requiring about 60 minutes of your time.
  • Please note that if you are meeting with a registered nurse, you may also have to complete laboratory testing, x-rays, EKGs, or meet with a member of the anesthesia department. This will add to your appointment time.
  • If you do not meet with a member of the anesthesia department at this appointment, you will have an opportunity to do so on the morning of your procedure.
  • If applicable, please bring a copy of your Living Will, Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare, and/or guardian papers.

Links and Forms

In most cases, you will have had a pre-operative appointment with your surgeon prior to your arrival date. At this time your surgery would have been explained to you in full detail. Please take time to review the consent form  (PDF) that you will be asked to sign on the morning of your surgery. If you have questions or concerns, please contact your surgeon at his/her office, as they are your best source of information. You will also have the opportunity to speak to your surgeon on the morning of surgery.

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