Preparing for Surgery: A Nurse's Practical Guide to Pre‑Op Tests, Meds, and Day‑Of Safety

Facing an upcoming procedure is stressful — and patients often get pages of instructions they don't fully understand. In this episode Nurse Jessi walks listeners through practical, nurse-approved steps to prepare for surgery: which pre-op tests are commonly ordered and why, how medications, supplements, and chronic conditions change the plan, when a test result should delay a procedure, and simple scripts to use with surgeons and anesthesiologists. This episode focuses on patient empowerment: reducing avoidable cancellations, avoiding medication mishaps (especially anticoagulants and diabetes meds), and making the day-of handoff safer. Listeners will leave with three concrete takeaways they can use before their next appointment and a short, printable checklist to run through the morning of surgery.