Upon completion of the reparative surgery, the patient is carried from the Operating Room to the Recovery Room by the anesthesiologist and the scrub nurse. Dr. Mimi Wong, pictured above said that in the US the patient would be moved on a gurney and likes the way it is done here as there is much more of a human touch.
The recovery room is staffed by 1 pediatrician and 4 nurses. There can be up to 4 patients at a time in recovery. The children are normally in recovery about 30 minutes and can not leave until they are drinking water. After arrival, it is up to the recovery room staff to check the vital signs, administer pain medication and ensure the patient can take fluids. The patient’s parents or relatives join them here. A familiar face or voice helps comfort the children as they awake. This is their first glimpse of their child after the surgery. To see the joy in their eye’s is what keeps Sandra Seibel (pictured above with Stephanie and Jean) coming back. She finds it very rewarding “to be with such grateful people and working with such wonderful doctors.” This is her 2nd mission with Operation Taghoy.
