Programs & Services

Pediatric Surgical Short Stay

For Your Stay | Parking | Finding Us | What to Expect | After Care

Contact & General Service Information

For Your Stay

Important:

  • For your child’s safety, your child must be fasting for surgery or your child’s surgery will be cancelled or delayed. Follow the instructions that you were given.
  • Food or drink is not allowed in the waiting area.

Remember to bring:

  • Your child’s provincial healthcare card and birth certificate or passport.
  • Your guardianship papers for the child. (if applicable)
  • A list of all the medicine your child takes. This includes over the-counter medicines like vitamins and herbal supplements. If you need help with the list, you can ask your pharmacy for a printout or use Medication Lists and Tools
  • Bring any medical equipment, supplies, or medicine that your child needs during their stay. Bring medicine for the first 24 hours to ensure that there is no interruption to your child’s medication schedule
  • Books, games, and other items to keep your child busy while you wait
  • All the personal items that your child may need during their hospital stay
  • If you plan on staying overnight with your child, don’t forget to pack your own personal belongings and medicine too

View - complete packing list

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Parking

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Finding Us

The Day Surgery area  and 23-hour patients are located in the Surgical Short Stat Unit 1A1/1A2.

From the East Public Parkade, , cross the pedway, pass the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute information desk. Continue straight down the hall until the t-intersection (blue wall). Turn right and head into the main area of the University of Alberta Hospital. Look for the spiral staircase or the glass elevators to take you to Level 1. Look for the Surgical Short Stay Unit 1A1 located beside Admitting and Registration.

From the Health Sciences/Jubilee LRT station (LRT ETS Info), enter the North 114 street entrance and turn right (past the snack bar and Rexall pharmacy). Look for Surgical Short Stay 1A1  located beside Admitting and Registration.

From the Public Underground Parking, take the elevators to Level 1. Surgical Short Stay  1A1 is located in the south-east section of Level 1, opposite of the Rexall Pharmacy, past the glass elevators and beside Admitting and Registration.

From the Hospital Entrances on 112th Street, you will enter on Level 1. Surgical Short Stay 1A1is located in the south-east section on Level 1, opposite of the Rexall Pharmacy, past the glass elevators and beside Admitting and Registration.

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What to Expect

Before Surgery 

When you arrive, check in at patient registration first. You will need to present your child’s provincial healthcare card. You may be asked to also present your child’s birth certificate or passport to verify the spelling of your child’s name or date of birth.

You will wait in the waiting room until it is your child’s turn. Food or drink is not allowed in the waiting area. 

When it is your child’s turn, a nurse will greet you and take your child and you to a room to get ready for surgery.

We do our best to make sure your child has their surgery as scheduled, but sometimes emergencies happen. This means that your child’s surgery may be delayed or have to be rescheduled. Your nurse will let you know if that happens and what happens next. If you have any questions or concerns during this time, talk to your child’s nurse.

During Surgery

While your child is in surgery, it is  a good time to take a quick 15-minute break and eat something and use the washroom. (patient and visitor services). Please do not leave the hospital.

After Surgery

After the procedure or surgery, your child will arrive back to the Surgical Short Stay Unit from  Post Anesthetic Care Unit (PACU) by stretcher or crib.

If your child is expected to spend the night, there is room for only one designated family/support person to stay with them overnight. Your child will stay on this unit until your child’s nurse tells you it is safe for your child to be released.

Going Home

Your child may be sleepy or slightly uncomfortable on the way home. It is best to have two adults for the drive home so that one adult is able to take care of your child.

If you usually travel by bus, ask a friend or family member to drive you home. If needed, the staff can also help you arrange for a taxi.

For overnight stays, you may be gently wakened as early as 5 a.m. to get ready to go home.

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After Care

Care information specific to your child will be given to you by your child’s healthcare team before your child is released from hospital. We encourage you to ask questions about your child’s care during your child’s hospital stay. For more health information, go to MyHealth.Alberta.ca.

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Family Resources

Health Information

For more information about your child’s surgery refer to MyHealth.Alberta.ca. Enter the name of your child’s surgery into the search field.

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