What to expect

Pre-op preparation

When you are having joint replacement surgery at Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb, we want you to be as prepared as possible prior to your surgery. Pre-Op Nursing staff will be in touch with you several times over the weeks and days prior to your surgery to provide you personalized care that will support the very best experience possible.

During one of these calls, a pre-operative assessment will be done by a nurse who will ask questions about your health. This information will allow the hospital staff to know you better and provide you with the personal care you deserve. If you have been a patient at Kishwaukee Hospital previously, your assessment and important contact information may simply need to be updated.

Make sure to have your medication list (with dosages) available because you will be given instructions regarding what medications to take the morning of your surgery from that information.

In addition, needed pre-op labs and tests will be identified and completed prior to your admission to the hospital. The Pre-Op Nursing staff are pleased to provide you this personalized care to support the very best experience possible.

Day of surgery–post surgery

You will be greeted by our joint care coordinator immediately upon admission to the orthopedic unit at Kishwaukee Hospital. All patients will sit at the edge of the bed and dangle their legs and most patients stand bedside the day of surgery.

• Day one: By 7 am, you will be bathed, dressed, helped out of bed and seated in a recliner in your room. Your surgeon and physician's assistant (if applicable) will visit you in the morning. The physical therapist may assess your progress and get you walking with a walker. Intravenous (IV) pain medication will likely be stopped and you may begin oral pain medication. Group therapy begins in the afternoon. Occupational therapy may begin, if needed. Your coach is strongly encouraged to participate. Visitors are welcome, preferably late afternoons or evenings.
• Day two: By 9:30 am, your day will begin with a morning walk accompanied by the physical therapy staff to your group session at 10:00 am, followed by lunch. Your coach will be participating in group therapy. You will eat lunch with the other patients, your coach, and the nursing staff. At 1:00 pm, you will receive a second group therapy session. You also may begin walking stairs on this day. Evenings are free for visitors or relaxing. You most likely will be discharged a short time after the morning group exercise and home discharge class. Any stay longer than two days is generally related to medical issues only.

Customized after surgery care
Your care team will work with you and your family to build a personalized discharge plan. The most patients are able to recover in the comfort of their own home and will continue therapy at an outpatient physical therapy facility.

Other patients will continue their rehabilitation at a skilled nursing or short-term rehab facility where their medical need can be monitored continually. Our joint care coordinator will help with all transitional planning.

You have your choice of outpatient rehabilitation facilities. One choice is Northwestern Medicine Physical Therapy Center at Kishwaukee Hospital with locations in Genoa, Hampshire, Sycamore and Sandwich.