Pre-Operative Instructions


UF Health Shands Hospital North Tower OR


The Day before Surgery

All patients must be “NPO” – no food or liquids, including water-after the time specified below:

  • Newborns to one year of age: If breastfeeding, continue to breast feed as usual. Last breastfeeding at 4:00 am on the morning of surgery. Nothing may be given after 4:00 am. If bottle-feed, last milk/formula/solids at midnight. Clear liquids may be offered at 4:00am. Nothing may be given after 4:00am.
  • Age one year to two years of age: Last milk/formula/solids at midnight. Clear liquids may be offered at 4:00 am. Nothing may be given after 4:00 am.
  • Age two years of age and older: No milk/clear liquids/solids after midnight. Offer liquids at 11:00 pm to curb thirst.

Please be sure to notify the Pediatric Urology office immediately should your child develop a fever, cold, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea or  has been exposed to a contagious disease such as chicken pox or measles. In such circumstances, the telephone number to call is 352.273.9454. Immunizations should always be up-to- date. If your child is on any medication, please ask surgeon if medication should be given the morning of surgery or withheld.


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The Day of Surgery

If your child is having outpatient surgery, you must report to the Ambulatory Surgery Waiting area, across from Admissions, on the first floor of the UF Health Shands Hospital, 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608. If your child is having inpatient surgery you must report to Admissions on the first floor of Shands hospital.  You should arrive at 7:00am if your child is the first operation listed for that day, and no later than 7:30 am for all other cases.  Even though your child’s operation may have been tentatively scheduled for a time later than 8:00am, last minute changes are frequent due to unforeseen events such as the development of fevers or colds, with the consequence that earlier starts are often feasible for those patients who are immediately available.

You and your child will be escorted upstairs to the 2nd floor pre-operative holding suite.  Once your child has been taken into the operating room, you should go to the surgical waiting area on the 1st floor of the Shands Hospital where your surgeon can contact you by the telephone at the completion of the procedure.

Your prescription for take-home medication will be provided to you in the post-op holding area.

In the event of any difficulty, you should first attempt to reach your physician at 352.265.8240, Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.  If you are delayed or have any problems the day of surgery you can call the operating room at 352.265.0023.  After hours, please call the Shands operator at 352.265.0111 and ask to speak to the urology resident on call.


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UF Health Shands Children’s Surgery Center


The Day before Surgery

All patients must be “NPO” – no food or liquids, including water-after the time specified below:

  • Newborns to one year of age: If breastfeeding, continue to breast feed as usual. Last breastfeeding at 4:00 am on the morning of surgery. Nothing may be given after 4:00 am, If bottle-feed, last milk/formula/solids at midnight. Clear liquids may be offer at 4:00am. Nothing may be given after 4:00am.
  • Age one year to two years of age: Last milk/formula/solids at midnight. Clear liquids may be offered at 4:00 am. Nothing may be given after 4:00 am.
  • Age two years of age and older: No milk/clear liquids/solids after midnight. Offer liquids at 11:00 pm to curb thirst.

Please be sure to notify the Pediatric Urology office immediately should your child develop a fever, cold, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea or  has been exposed to a contagious disease such as chicken pox or measles. In such circumstances, the telephone number to call is 352.273.9454. Immunizations should always be up-to- date. If your child is on any medication, please ask surgeon if medication should be given the morning of surgery or withheld.


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The Day of Surgery

You must report to the Admitting Department which is located on the first floor of UF Health Shands Children’s Surgical Center, 3480 Hull Road, Gainesville FL.  You will be called the night before surgery with an arrival time. If you do not receive this call by 4:30 pm the day before, please contact UF Health Shands Children’s Surgical Center at (352) 733-0065 for arrival time. Please understand that delays may happen.

Once you are checked in, you may stay with your child until the time of surgery.  There is a two person maximum and they need to be 14 years of age or older.  If there are more than two people, as is common with pediatric patients, family members and friends may take turns staying with patient in the Pre-op Holding Area.

In the event of any difficulty, you should first attempt to reach your surgeon at 352.265.8240, Monday through Friday between 8 am and 5 pm. If you are calling after hours, please call Shands Hospital at 352.265.0111 and ask to speak to the Urology resident on call.


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After Surgery

Your prescription for take-home medication, discharge instructions and return appointment dates will be provided to you in  the post-op holding area. If you need to change the date and/or time of this appointment,  please call 352.265.8240.  If your child requires a safety seat while riding in a vehicle, please begin planning now to have one available at the time of discharge.


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