Surgical Short Stay
Who we are
The Surgical Short Stay Unit (SSSU) is located on Ward 3C at PCH. We focus on providing care and services before and after your child’s surgical procedure at PCH.
Our services
The SSSU has three key roles:
Admission
Most surgical patients attending PCH for planned or emergency surgery (as well as patients who require general anaesthesia for medical imaging) are admitted via Surgical Admissions.
The SSSU also provides the Pre-anaesthetic Telephone Service (PATS). This service is one of the ways that PCH clinicians will help you and your child get set for their surgery. The PATS nurse will telephone you two working days before the operation to provide admission and fasting information to help you and your child prepare for anaesthesia.
For more information on preparing for your child’s operation or procedure refer the parent information under Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine.
Pre-operative services
Most surgical patients at PCH are prepared for theatre in our pre-operative assessment area on Ward 3C.
Post-operative services
The post-operative care provided by our unit is focused on patients who attend PCH for same-day surgery or short-stay surgery (a stay of less than 47 hours).
Your child may go home on the day of their surgery or they may stay overnight if needed. If your child needs to stay in hospital for longer than an overnight stay, they may be transferred to an inpatient ward after their surgery.