How do you get information after an operation?

[Wonderones]

My dad has had an operation today, how do you find out information? I keep ringing but no one has picked up, so I presume they're busy and then don't want to keep ringing.
But on the other hand I am concerned.

I think you should just keep ringing. Do you know the ward/dept he was going back to after the op? It will likely be handover time now or night staff on so can take a while to answer the phone. They will be busy but you have the right to know what is going on.
Best wishes to you and your dad.

I think you work on the basis thst if there was anything to tell you, they would do so!
The list may have been delayed, Recovery is busy, ward is busy etc etc. Maybe give them a call tomorrow morning?

Thank you - good point on handover. I'll leave it a while and try again.

@Miranda65 you're right, if there was a problem I hope I would already know. But it's hard to relax!

Probably depends how serious it is. When my relative had brain surgery the surgeon phoned me when they came out of theatre. It was about 1am!
I don’t suppose they do that for a run of the mill hip op though…Just keep trying, someone will answer eventually. Are you too far away to visit?

1am, that's remarkable. Who would be a surgeon - imagine working at that time on something so intense !

The hospital is a two hour drive away so couldn't have gone this evening after doing school run etc. I will go tomorrow if I know he's still living though!

They’d have been straight on the phone if it’d gone wrong, don’t fret. He's quite possibly between wards, or change over of day/night staff. I bet someone will ring you - eventually! Best wishes.

Thank you!

Hi op, do you have the number for the ICU? That’s where they typically take them for recovery before general ward. It of course depends what sort of operation. I would check up on him so they know he has family keeping a tab on things.

Thank you, I've been trying to ring the ICU (or so I thought), but I expected them to be more available ? Perhaps that's not right.

No they absolutely should be answering your phone! That’s shocking. My parent was in one and I called them through the night too as I was so worried about said parent’s deteriorating condition. I’m sorry they’re not answering but keep trying they should be.

If you still haven't heard anything find the contact number for the PALs service for the hospital. (PALs is Patient Advice & Liason service).

Hopefully they will have a day time number and you should ask them to find out where he is and how you can contact the ward.

Hope all is well and it is just some mix up about phone numbers or something.

Have you heard anything OP? If not the hospital should have a main switchboard that you could speak to and explain that you haven't been able to make contact. Were you expecting him to go to ICU?

Thanks all. I managed to get through to ICU much later on - I can only assume they've been incredibly busy in there. He is still under anaesthetic and will be until part way through today. Thank you for your messages, it was really helpful. My last experience of ICU was that they rang me, so I wasn't sure !

Wishing your father speedy recovery op x

Thank you for the kind thoughts.
How often do you think is too often to call ICU? I rang at 9am today then visited at 3pm - is it too much to ring again this evening, would it be better to wait until the morning ?

Its your dad! Perfectly fine to call to find out how he settled for bed.

Thank you ! My mum was in hospital during COVID and I heard basically nothing until she died, so this is new territory for me !

I found it really hard to get calls to icu answered and when they did the nurse would have gone on a break. Was there any likelihood his condition or plan might have changed since your visit?

Only that they plan to remove his ventilation at some point - but I presume they would let me know if anything had gone badly.
I know they say ring any time but if everyone rings twice a day I suppose that's still an awful lot of calls to the ward, which is meant to be quiet.