If you’re going to have a joint replaced, know that a number of different people and groups will be involved in the process to ensure everything goes as expected before, during and after your procedure. But what type of people will you meet along the way, and how will they assist in the process? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the healthcare professionals who will be involved in your knee or hip replacement procedure.
A fair amount of different healthcare professionals will be involved during the course of your care for a joint replacement procedure. Each one of them plays a specific role in helping you make the strongest recovery possible following a joint replacement procedure. Here’s a look at some of the people you’ll meet along the way.
Pre-Op Nurses
Well before you are slated for surgery, you’ll connect with a nurse who will take your vitals and help get a better understanding of your overall health history. The more we know about your health prior to surgery, the easier it will be to keep the operation and recovery on track. You may meet with one or a few different nurses for health assessments in the lead-up to your joint replacement.
The Surgeon
You’ll meet with the surgeon well before your surgery date to talk about the procedure, your health and anything else that you want to discuss before the big day. They’ll discuss how they’ll perform the procedure, what you can expect during your recovery, and what they need from you before and after the operation. This is a good time to ask questions of your surgeon and really confirm that this is the person you trust to perform your joint replacement procedure.
Anesthesiologist
You will also meet with the anesthesiologist in the lead up to your procedure. They’ll explain what they are going to do to administer anesthesia so that you do not feel any pain during the procedure and how they’ll be monitoring your vitals throughout to ensure everything goes as expected during surgery and as the medication wears off.
Surgical Care Team
On the day of surgery, you may notice that it’s not just you and the surgeon in the operating room. Your surgical care team may involve:
- The surgeon
- A resident surgeon
- The anesthesiologist
- Certified registered nurse anesthetist
- Certified surgical first assistant
- Physician’s assistant
- Circulating nurse
All of these people have tasks to perform during surgery to ensure the procedure is carried out exactly as expected.
Post-Surgery Care And Discharge Team
After the procedure, you’ll be taken to a recovery ward so that you can safely come out of anesthesia while being monitored by your care team. Once you’re awake, you’ll meet with some medical professionals – nurses, a doctor, therapists or your surgeon – to discuss the next steps in your recovery. They’ll talk with you about your pain levels and how to safely take prescription painkillers once you’re discharged. Speaking of discharge, you’ll meet with the therapy department to ensure you’re physically capable of being discharged out of the care facility. They may have you perform tasks like standing, walking, going to the bathroom and getting into a vehicle before they clear you to be discharged from the surgical center.
Physical Therapist
Finally, you’ll meet with a physical therapist during the course of your recovery after you’ve been discharged. You may attend PT sessions once or twice a week during the initial stages of your recovery. They’ll monitor your recovery and overall function and recommend exercises that help you continue to make gains in your recovery efforts.
You may meet other care professionals along the way, but you can expect many of the above to play a pivotal role in your joint replacement procedure and recovery. To learn more about hip or knee replacement surgery, connect with Dr. Botero and his team today at (865) 558-4444.
