Patient and visitor guide

Patients and their families can request a private room during their Pre-Admission Clinic (PAC) visit. Please be aware that private rooms are given to patients who require a private room for medical reasons first. Patients may also be placed in a private room if it’s the only bed available. If your family member didn’t request a private room and is placed in one, they won’t be charged. Please note that requesting a private room during the PAC visit or on the ward afterwards does not guarantee a private room will be available.

While we prefer patients go through the pre-admission clinic process, there are vascular issues that need to be addressed immediately. Your family member may be admitted straight to Unit 41. If this happens, the physicians who would have seen the patient in the Pre-Admission Clinic will now see them on the ward. Nursing staff will help do the pre-operative preparation on the unit.

Your family member may also be brought directly to the operating room. This means their condition is potentially life-threatening and must be dealt with immediately. In this situation, there may be little time for the surgeons and staff to explain everything to family and friends. We ask that you be patient. Following the procedure, the surgeon and/or staff will let you know the outcome.

If your medication hasn’t changed during your stay at the NAVC, this will not be an issue. However, if you’ve been placed on a blood thinner (either a pill or injection), we will provide education before you go home.

In most cases your vascular surgeon will want to see you between four and six weeks after discharge. Depending on your needs, you may need to follow up with other physicians involved in your care as well. Your nurse will review all follow-up appointments with you when you are discharged.

We usually recommend you see your family physician within two to three weeks of being discharged.

The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital runs an amputee program. If you have had a leg amputated, you may be considered for their program. Please be aware there are conditions that you must meet before you can be considered for admission to the Glenrose. Please ask your physician or rehab team about your eligibility for the Glenrose program.

Our rehab team will assess you to ensure you’re physically and mentally ready to return home. They will review your current living arrangements and use that information in the assessment. They may ask you and your family questions about your home, such as how many stairs you have, bathroom access and how your kitchen is set up.

Our team will assess you for equipment needs, such as bars in the bathroom and raised toilet seats. If you need this equipment and live in or around Edmonton, our occupational therapist will organize a loan through the SMART program. Please be aware that a family member or delegate will have to pick up the equipment at the Edmonton General Continuing Care Centre. The equipment is loaned at no charge, but is subject to availability.

If you can’t go home due to changes after surgery, or for other reasons, there are other options. Your care team will discuss these with you if necessary.

Your nurse will explain the signs and symptoms of infection before you are discharged. Generally, if you have a fever, increased pain, increased redness at the surgery site or drainage that is milky or greenish in colour from the surgery site, you should go to your nearest ER.

You may be eligible for home care to assist you at home. After surgery, you will have at least one incision; we will give you information on how to care for it before going home. If there is a dressing on the incision, we will arrange home care for dressing changes. In some cases, the home care staff will send someone to assess your dressing before you go home.

If you need help at home, we will notify your local home care branch when you are discharged. A home care staff member will assess you at home to determine what your needs are. After this assessment, it may take up to a week for the service to start.

Please be aware that home care can’t provide 24/7 care. Once or twice a day is the maximum that home care can visit your home. If home care can’t provide the help you need, you and your family may need to consider a private option or changing your living arrangements.

If you live outside Edmonton, you may be transferred back to your ‘home hospital’ or the closest hospital to your home. This hospital will be responsible for continuing your care and arranging your discharge. You will be sent to your ‘home hospital’ only if you need further care. If you arranged for your own transportation to the hospital and don’t need further hospitalization, you will have to arrange your transportation home.