Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)

Related topics: Surgery

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Nurse talking to senior woman in hospital bed. She is measuring her blood pressure.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) helps patients, caregivers and care providers plan and prepare for surgery together. The plan and preparation help the patient heal faster, safer and easier.

ERAS is an evidence-supported care pathway that has instructions about eating and drinking, physical activity and controlling your pain and nausea. 

What to expect

ERAS aims to put you at the forefront of your surgical care to help you feel better faster, reduce complications after surgery and have a shorter hospital stay.

Who is part of ERAS 

Confirm with your surgeon if the surgery you are having is under the ERAS program. If so, you, your family or caregivers and everyone in your health-care team are part of the ERAS process.

Your role in ERAS

Before surgery

  1. Read the ERAS education booklet before your surgery (at the bottom of this page). Have this booklet for your pre-admission clinic appointment, during your hospital stay and when you visit your family doctor.
  2. Follow the clear juice instructions.
  3. Bring sugar-free chewing gum to the hospital on the day of surgery. This will help "wake up " your digestive system.

The health-care team will care for you during surgery using the ERAS care guidelines.

After surgery

  1. Eat and drink as soon as you and your healthcare team feel safe.
  2. Sit in a chair as soon as you and your healthcare team feel safe.
  3. Walk to the bathroom and hallway as soon as you and your healthcare team feel safe.
Patient Education Video- Enhanced Recovery

Find out what happens before, during and after surgery.

Resources

Contact

Please email eras@vch.ca for questions or feedback.

ERAS patient experience survey

If you would like to complete a 5-minute survey about the ERAS program at Vancouver Coastal Health, access the survey here. Your feedback will help improve future care for patients.

Fill the ERAS patient experience survey

Find this service near you

OR
  • Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) at Lions Gate Hospital

    231 East 15th Street North Vancouver
  • Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) at Richmond Hospital

    7000 Westminster Highway Richmond
  • Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) at UBC Hospital

    2211 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver
  • Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) at Vancouver General Hospital

    899 West 12th Avenue Vancouver