Going home from the hospital after cardiac surgery - VGH patient guide to cardiac surgery

Welcome to the Cardiac Sciences program at Vancouver General Hospital

We're here to help you prepare for your upcoming heart surgery. Hi, my name is Karen and I'm an occupational therapist

You may see me closer to the end of your stay in the hospital if you have concerns

about safely managing some of the daily tasks you'll encounter once you're home

If needed, I can help brainstorm alternative ways to approach these tasks

For example, if you had an incision in your breastbone, you'll need to limit your motion while it heals

I can show you alternative ways of getting dressed that can help avoid pain in the sternal area

It may be recommended that you keep your hands on your knees while standing up from a seated position

If it is too difficult to manage standing from lower heights like standing from a low toilet

I can recommend medical equipment like a raised toilet seat and provide you with resources on where to access this equipment

I can also review energy conservation strategies such as the four Ps

Planning, pacing, prioritizing and positioning. Because after heart surgery, you might be surprised at how tired you feel

This is normal and your energy level will gradually improve over a few weeks

It's important to manage your energy while you heal. You can manage your energy level by planning your day

making sure you're staggering any important energy consuming plans, pacing yourself throughout the day and never doing anything in a rush

prioritizing the most important to-dos in each day and making sure you're using good posture

not stretching, straining, twisting or otherwise over-exerting yourself during daily activities. Hi, my name is Brittany and I'm a patient care coordinator with the cardiac sciences program

at Vancouver General Hospital. Most patients can expect to go home within five days of their surgery once they're able to move

and walk independently and walk up and down a flight of stairs and once they are medically stable

But keep in mind that it will take about three months to fully recover from surgery

Going home from the hospital may feel a bit scary at first

This is normal. We have a number of people on the team to help address your concerns and prepare you to go home

Rest assured that you won't be discharged until your health care team feels you are medically ready

Some people find it helpful to have someone with them when they first go home

either a family member or friend. While having someone there isn't medically necessary

it may help you to feel better during your initial transition home. After surgery, there may be days when you feel sad or anxious

This is normal and will gradually improve. But if you find that your mood is persistently low and is affecting your sleep

eating or activity level, then we encourage you to talk about what you're experiencing

with your family doctor or nurse practitioner. Once you've gone home, you should schedule an appointment to see your family doctor

or nurse practitioner in one week. You will also need to schedule an appointment to see your cardiologist internist in four weeks

and surgeon in two to three months. Depending on the type of surgery you had, you may not be able to drive for four to six weeks

If this is the case, your health care team will advise you prior to leaving the hospital

While you're unable to drive or lift more than 10 pounds, consider having your local supermarket deliver your groceries

There are also community organizations that do meal delivery or house cleaning for a fee

After you've left the hospital, if you have any concerns, call your family doctor or nurse practitioner

or the post-op recovery unit at the number provided during your discharge

Thank you for watching. We hope this has given you a good idea of what to expect as you prepare for your surgery

Rest assured, we will take good care of you. And if you have any questions, please reach out to your care team

or primary care provider. For more information, you can visit our website