The Outpatient Surgery unit is located on the Fourth Floor of Children's Hospital. The unit provides semi private rooms equipped with a television and a bathroom. The unit is open from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

It is important to the Children's Hospital staff that parents remain informed throughout the surgical process. You will be contacted by an Admitting clerk before the surgery. In addition, the nursing staff will call you the day before your child's scheduled surgery and verify a specific time for arrival. The day after surgery, the staff may also call to check on your child to see how he or she is feeling and to address any problems that you may have.

Each Monday and Thursday night there is a Pre-Admission where children who are scheduled for surgery can come to the hospital and check it out.

Surgery can be frightening for your child, so it is important that you prepare him or her for the experience. Be honest with your child and answer any questions he or she has. It is a good idea to bring personal items such as a favorite toy or blanket that can help your child feel more comfortable. The following is a fictitious story of a patient, Sydney, as she walks through her day of outpatient surgery at Children's Hospital.

Hi, I'm Sydney. I recently had to have surgery at Children's Hospital, and I want to tell you a little bit about my day. I was kind of scared at first, but I met a lot of really nice people and wasn't scared anymore.

My doctor told me that I couldn't have anything to eat or drink before my surgery. I was afraid that I would forget, but Mommy made sure that I didn't eat or drink anything the night before my surgery or the morning of my surgery.

Early in the morning my mommy and I drove to Children's Hospital for my surgery. In the Admitting Department we checked in, and I got a bracelet with my name on it.

A few minutes later, Mommy and I went upstairs to Outpatient Surgery. I met Ron, a nurse's assistant, who measured my height and weight and my blood pressure. Sometimes they have to take a small amount of your blood when you have surgery, but I still had plenty left in my body.

After that I went to my hospital room. The nurse gave me a gown to wear. It was different than the pajamas I wear at home. It opened in the back! After I put on my gown, I got in bed with Buddy, my bear, and watched television.

When I was settled in, my nurse came back and gave me some medicine to drink; it made me feel sleepy.

Just when I felt like I was ready to take a nap, Alberto, another hospital assistant, came to take me to the room on the sixth floor where I was going to have surgery. It was fun because he rolled me there in my bed, while Mommy had to walk! Alberto took me through two big white doors, and Mommy had to stay outside. It wasn't scary, though, because there were nice nurses waiting to take care of me. They stayed with me the entire time, and my bear Buddy got to stay with me, too.

Then we went into the surgery room, where the nurses and others had to wear masks that covered their faces and special hats to make sure that everything stayed clean. The room had bright lights and was kind of cold. Then I breathed in medicine from a mask that made me sleepy. I was asleep through my entire surgery, and I didn't feel any pain.

After my surgery, the nurse took me to the recovery room. When I woke up, the nurse was there and told me that everything was OK, and I could see my mommy very soon. There was a piece of equipment next to my bed that looked like a small television that showed a picture of my heartbeat. There was also a tube in my arm that looked like a straw that helped put medicine in my body.

Just a little while later, the nurse took me back to my room. My mommy was waiting there for me and gave me a big hug.

In about an hour I was more awake. I got a popsicle and got to walk down to the playroom with Mommy to read books and play games.

Later that afternoon, I got to go home. My surgery wasn't so bad -- you just have to remember that the people are there to take care of you.