This information will help you on the day of your family member’s surgery. Our surgery team is happy to help you throughout the surgical process. If you have any questions, please ask us.
Waiting during surgery
After the patient is moved to surgery, please check-in with the receptionist at Desk J1-2, Miller Pavilion Surgical Center and Family Waiting area (in the Miller Family Pavilion, 1st Floor). “Red Coat” employees can help you find the desk or any other area of the hospital.
Please wait in the Surgical Center until you go to the Family Information session.
Family information session
You will go to the Family Information Session on the day of surgery. We will talk to you about what to expect throughout the day, including information about visitation in the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU). The session is held twice daily, M–F, around 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The nurse coordinator will call you from the Surgical Center when the session is ready to begin and take you to the classroom.
Family spokesperson
Please choose one family spokesperson. This helps provide the best flow of information and helps protect patient confidentiality.
Receiving updates on the patient's surgery
You will get a pager in the Surgical Center that we will use to send you surgery updates. If you have any questions, please call the nurse coordinator by dialing 63272 on any beige house phone.
Sharing patient information online
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) is a convenient way to share information about the patient with friends and family. However, please check your privacy settings and make sure the information is shared only with those you wish to see the updates. You may want to use Caring Bridge, a tool to help you create a free, personal website.
For more information, visit:
my.clevelandclinic.org/patients-visitors/support-therapy/caring-bridge.aspx
About your wait time
The time the patient is told to report for surgery is the check-in time, not the scheduled time of surgery. Every surgery is based on the patient’s individual needs. We are committed to providing the best care possible to every patient.
Be prepared to wait. You are welcome to bring reading/writing materials, games, puzzles, audio players, your laptop computer, or other quiet activities. We also invite you to take advantage of the Patient and Family Health & Education Center and the many other amenities at Cleveland Clinic.
What happens after surgery?
After surgery is finished, the surgeon will meet with you and should let you know which unit the patient will be in.
Before you talk to the surgeon, write down your list of questions. Please be sure to listen very carefully and take notes.
If you have any questions about surgery updates, you can contact the nurse coordinator by dialing 63272 on any beige house phone.
What happens after I speak with the surgeon?
Please be prepared to wait before you see the patient after surgery. It takes about 1 to 3 hours to get the patient moved to the ICU and ready for visitors. We will let you know as soon as you can visit.
Visitation guidelines
Please review this important information about your first visit to the CVICU:
- Check-in with the receptionist and let him or her know this is your first visit.
- A receptionist is on duty M–F, 9 m.– 9:30 p.m., and weekends, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. If you visit during these hours and the receptionist is not at the desk, please use the beige wall phone to call the unit. Phone numbers for each unit are posted next to the phone
- The family spokesperson should have contact information ready for the ICU nurse.
- Your first visit may be a little overwhelming. Being prepared can help ease your anxiety.
- Before and after every visit: Please wash your hands with soap and warm water or use the antibacterial foam at the patient’s bedside. Clean hands prevent infection!
- To protect patients’ safety and privacy, the following are not allowed in the ICU:
- Food and drinks.
- Flowers, balloons and other small gifts.
- Cameras/video recorders or picture taking.
- Cellular phones (must be turned off).
- The patient may have an endotracheal tube (breathing tube) in his or her throat. The tube is connected to a ventilator to help the patient While the tube is in place, the patient cannot talk or swallow. It is best to ask questions that require only a yes or no answer so the patient can respond by nodding or shaking his/her head. The endotracheal tube will be removed when the patient is fully awake and able to breathe on his/her own. Once the tube is removed, the patient will be able to talk. But, the patient may be groggy and unable to communicate.
- A patient’s condition can quickly change while in the ICU. While visiting, we may ask you to wait in the Family Lounge during patient care procedures or other situations that require extra room or privacy.
- The medical equipment used in the recovery and surgical units has alarms to let caregivers know about possible changes in the patient’s condition. The alarms are very sensitive to the patient’s movements and An alarm may sound even if there is not a real problem.
- Take care of yourself. We know it is difficult to have a loved one in the hospital and how uncertain things may seem. During these times, families can ignore their own needs and may even be afraid to leave the hospital. But, it is very important to take care of yourself. Eat properly, rest and take care of your personal needs. We encourage you to talk to our healthcare team about your feelings — we will do our best to help.
- The surgical team will determine when the patient will move from the ICU to a step-down nursing unit.
- If you have any questions or need assistance, please call the Nurse Coordinator by dialing 63272 on any beige house phone.
Advice for your visit
- Make eye contact with the patient.
- Talk to the patient. Share good wishes and encouragement. Remember that the patient hears more than you might think.
- Be calm and supportive.
- After checking with the staff, don’t be afraid to touch the patient.
- Tell the nurse if you have any questions or concerns about the patient or medical equipment.
Please limit visitors to two at a time in the CVICU. Your first visit should be short so the patient can rest. If you have special needs regarding visitation, please tell the Nurse Coordinator.
You may visit at any time, but we strongly encourage families to rest whenever possible. There are no age restrictions for visitation, but visits during early recovery may be difficult for children.
CVICU phone extensions
- J3-3: 66546.
- J5-4: 66658.
- J5-5: 66673.
- J5-6: 66690.
- J6-4: 66786.
- J6-5: 66801.
- J6-6: 66818.
- Q5: 52159.
- CVICU Nurse Coordinator: 63272.
