What to Expect on the Day of Your Surgery
A calm, step-by-step walkthrough from arrival through the recovery suite so you can feel prepared and confident.
The day of surgery can feel overwhelming, but knowing what to expect can help ease anxiety. Your facility will tell you where to check in and what to expect before the procedure.
Before anesthesia, the care team will confirm your identity, review relevant health information, and arrange intravenous access when needed. Before anesthesia care begins, the anesthesiologist is responsible for evaluating you, developing the anesthesia plan, and ensuring that consent has been obtained.1
In the operating room, the anesthesia team will attach monitors to measure your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen level, and breathing.2 If general anesthesia is planned, medications will make you unconscious; the onset depends on the medications and how they are administered. The procedure begins after the anesthesia and surgical teams have completed the required safety checks and confirmed that you are ready.
After the procedure you will receive appropriate recovery care; when and where you become fully alert depends on your anesthetic and clinical condition. Recovery staff will monitor your vital signs and pain level while the anesthesia wears off.3 Recovery time varies with the procedure, the anesthetic and your condition, and discharge depends on meeting appropriate clinical criteria.
Please arrange for a responsible adult to drive you home if you are having an outpatient procedure.4 Follow the facility's written discharge instructions and use the contact numbers provided for recovery questions or urgent concerns.
Sources
- American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Preanesthesia Evaluation. Practice advisory for preanesthesia evaluation: an updated report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Preanesthesia Evaluation. Anesthesiology. 2012;116(3):522–538.
- American Society of Anesthesiologists. Standards for Basic Anesthetic Monitoring. Original approval October 21, 1986; last amended October 15, 2025.
- Apfelbaum JL, Silverstein JH, Chung FF, et al. Practice guidelines for postanesthetic care: an updated report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Postanesthetic Care. Anesthesiology. 2013;118(2):291–307.
- American Society of Anesthesiologists. Outpatient Surgery and Anesthesia. Patient brochure. Copyright 2015.
Dr. John Seitz, MD
Board-certified anesthesiologist
This article is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Always consult your physician for guidance specific to your health.