Having surgery at Mercy? Relax - you are in caring, competent hands. In fact, our nurses are proud to say that it's the personal touch they give to patients that sets their OR - and Mercy- apart.

Mercy has ten state-of-the-art operating rooms, where we perform a variety of surgical services, from minor procedures to more advanced care, including orthopedic, neurosurgical, gynecological, and ear/nose/throat procedures. With the exception of open heart and major brain surgery, Mercy is fully equipped to handle every surgical necessity.

In addition to our outstanding surgeons, OR nurses and surgical technicians, our expert anesthesiologists are fully equipped to ensure your surgery is as easy and painless as possible, and help speed your recovery after surgery.

Before surgery:
You will receive paperwork at home as well as a call from a nurse for a pre-admission interview. In some cases patients will be asked to come in to meet with the anesthesia department. Any diagnostic tests (x-rays, blood work, etc.) are usually done ahead of time on an outpatient basis.

Day of surgery:
Most patients are admitted the day of their surgery.* Upon arriving at Mercy, stop at Admitting, which is just inside the main entrance on Spring Street, where you will be given a bracelet and your paperwork. From there, you will go to the second floor, to pre-admission testing, where you check in. A nurse will show you where to change before your surgery.
(*Some surgeries do require admittance before the day of surgery.)

You then go to ACU (ambulatory care unit) where a nurse evaluates you, checks your paperwork, confirms your identification, and ensures that the appropriate history and physical has been done.

From the ACU, you are wheeled into the operating room right next door.

After your surgery:
The recovery room is in the PACU (post anesthesia care unit). A nurse will take care of you until you are stable enough to either be discharged or go back to ACU or be admitted to one of the floors. In some cases, usually cardiovascular procedures, you'll go to the ICU (intensive care unit) for observation and cardiac monitoring.

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