Checklist for patients coming for inpatient or outpatient surgery at the Surgery Clinic

The purpose of this leaflet is to provide patients with the necessary information when they come for inpatient or outpatient surgery.

Please arrive at the hospital reception at the agreed time:

• Ravi 18, A-block, first floor

  or

• Pärnu mnt 104, A-block, first floor.

PLEASE NOTE! Please pay attention to the address on the referral letter, as this is where you are expected.

At the reception, you will be admitted to the hospital and shown to the ward.

If you are unable to come to the hospital at the scheduled time (e.g. due to illness), please let us know at the earliest opportunity by calling the number on the referral letter.

You can leave outerwear and outdoor shoes in the cloakroom. If you are having outpatient surgery, you can collect them from the cloakroom after the surgery. If you are having inpatient surgery (you will stay in hospital for at least one night), your clothes and shoes will be brought to the ward when you are discharged.

Regular medications

Two weeks before your ear, nose or throat surgery, you will need to stop taking ibuprofen and diclofenac-type medications (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs), as they can increase bleeding.

If you are taking diabetes medications, blood thinners (e.g. warfarin and other oral anticoagulants, aspirin, clopidogrel) and/or painkillers, be sure to inform your doctor well in advance of the surgery. Your treatment plan may be adjusted if necessary. You should take the rest of your regular medications on the morning of the surgery with a small amount of water to help swallow the pills.

Inform your doctor or on-call nurse well in advance of any medications you are taking.

Come to the hospital with:

• A valid identification document (passport, ID card, driver's license, etc.)

• A completed and signed "Pre-anaesthesia questionnaire" and/or "Informed consent for the procedure" (if they have been provided to you)

• Your regular medications

• Personal hygiene products

• A change of shoes (preferably comfortable non-slip shoes with closed heel)

• Any necessary aids (crutches, cane, glasses, hearing aids, etc.)

• A home CPAP machine if you use it for obstructive sleep apnoea

• Headphones, smartphone/device chargers, power bank (if needed)

• Personal clothing (if desired)

We recommend that you do not bring large sums of money or valuables to the hospital. You can leave your documents, money and valuables for safekeeping at the department if you wish. The hospital is not responsible for items not deposited for safekeeping.

Before coming to the hospital

Before coming to the hospital, we ask you to have your teeth and mouth checked and treated if necessary by a dentist. If the teeth are not treated, anaesthesia can cause a tooth to break or become loose. Untreated oral infections can also lead to infections and postoperative complications.

We ask you to please ensure your personal hygiene before coming to the hospital: wash your hair and body (including the genital and buttock area) and trim your nails. To prevent skin injuries and infections, we recommend not shaving the surgical area at home. We recommend that you remove nail polish from your fingernails before coming to the hospital.

As the body’s normal protective functions do not work during unconsciousness (incl. under general anaesthesia), there is a risk that the stomach’s contents may enter the airways and cause life-threatening complications. It is therefore important to stop eating and drinking opaque liquids (e.g. milk, coffee or tea with milk, fruit juice with pulp) six hours before anaesthesia. You must stop drinking clear liquids (transparent liquids without solid particles, e.g. water, tea or black coffee, fruit juice without pulp, most sugary soft drinks) two hours before anaesthesia. We ask that you do not chew gum or smoke for two hours before anaesthesia.

Identification

When you arrive for outpatient or inpatient care, we will ask for your first and last name, date of birth and identity document, and compare the information you provide with the data on your identity document.

You will be fitted with a wristband at reception. Before any procedure, medication administration or surgery, we will always re-identify you by asking for your first and last name and date of birth and check that the information matches that on your wristband.

This helps prevent mistakes and ensures your safety.

After the surgery

After an outpatient surgery, you will be offered yoghurt and tea. After an inpatient surgery, you will be provided with food according to the diet prescribed by your doctor.

During the first two weeks after surgery, you may only take showers; avoid baths, saunas and swimming. Use the pain medication recommended to you (either prescription or over-the-counter medications).

Please think beforehand about who will help you get home safely after the surgery. It would be helpful if someone could pick you up and accompany or transport you home. After surgery under local or general anaesthesia, refrain from driving a motor vehicle or operating dangerous or attention-demanding equipment for 24 hours, as the medications used for anaesthesia can slow down reaction time.

On the day of discharge, a staff member from the department will prepare a bill for your bed days, which can be paid at any hospital reception desk or via the iPatsient patient portal. Please inform your doctor if you need a certificate of incapacity for work.

Please vacate your bed by 12:00 on the day of your discharge from the hospital.

Smoking in the hospital

Our hospital is guided by the smoke-free hospital policy, therefore smoking is not allowed on hospital premises and grounds; the use of cigarettes (including e-cigarettes), cigars, cigarillos, smoking tobacco or herbal smoking products is prohibited. Smoking is only allowed in designated pavilions on hospital premises.

We appreciate your cooperation and wish you a speedy recovery!                                                                                                    

Location plan of the buildings of the Ravi tn unit of East Tallinn Central Hospital

Location plan of the buildings of the Magdaleena unit of East Tallinn Central Hospital

ITK1306

Approved by the decision of the Medical and Nursing Care Quality Commission of Aktsiaselts Ida-Tallinna Keskhaigla on 04.02.2026 (Protocol No. 2.2-8/3-26)