Surgery ends in the operating theatre, but recovery carries on for weeks at home. Aayan Global arranges post-operative care in Udupi, Manipal and nearby towns. A GNM or BSc nurse handles dressings, drains, injections and pain medicines, and a caretaker helps with bathing and moving about. Staff usually start within 24 to 48 hours of the free home assessment, and for planned surgery we can have someone ready on discharge day.
Aayan has provided home nursing since 2015. If the surgery is planned, call +91 73495 13467 before the date so the nurse can read the discharge plan with you. This page is part of our home nursing services in Udupi.
Written by Lawrence Avil Pais, founder of Aayan Home Nursing Services. Last updated 5 October 2026.
Why Recovery at Home Needs a Nurse
Hospitals discharge patients once the acute phase is over, often within a few days. What follows is wound healing, pain control, getting up and walking, and avoiding infection. Without someone trained in the house, all of it falls on the family, who are usually tired and worried.
A nurse takes over the clinical tasks, keeps a written record and tells the surgeon early when something looks wrong. A caretaker can handle bathing, meals and moving about, so the nurse is used for the tasks that need a nurse.
What the Nurse Does After Surgery
Wound care
Dressings are changed on the surgeon's schedule using clean technique. The wound is checked every day for redness, swelling, discharge or fever, and any change is reported to the surgeon.
Drains and catheters
Drain output is measured and recorded, and the drain and catheter sites are kept clean. Removal is done only on the surgeon's instruction.
Pain and medicines
Painkillers, antibiotics and other medicines are given at the prescribed times and written down. Injections are given only by GNM or BSc nurses, inside the doctor's orders.
Getting moving
The nurse helps the patient sit up, stand and walk as the surgeon or physiotherapist has advised. The floor, bed height and bathroom are kept safe to prevent falls.
Breathing and circulation
After abdominal or chest surgery the nurse reminds the patient to do the breathing and leg exercises taught in hospital. The nurse also watches for leg swelling or breathlessness.
Food and fluids
Meals follow the surgeon's or dietitian's advice, and intake is noted so poor eating is noticed early.
Fever, spreading redness, bleeding, breathlessness, chest pain or a swollen, painful calf need urgent medical attention. The nurse alerts the family and the surgeon straight away.
Common Surgeries We Nurse at Home
- Knee and hip replacement, fracture fixation: safe transfers, walking aids, pain tracking and exercises as directed. See also physiotherapy at home in Udupi.
- Abdominal surgery (hernia, gallbladder, appendix, bowel): wound and drain care, diet progression and early walking.
- Cardiac surgery: vital-sign monitoring, medicine schedules and gentle activity as the cardiologist advises. A BSc nurse is usually the safer choice.
- Spine and neurosurgery: careful positioning, log-rolling and movement within the surgeon's limits.
- Caesarean delivery: wound care and rest for the mother, with newborn support. See postnatal care at home in Udupi.
Care After Discharge from Manipal and Udupi Hospitals
Patients leave hospital with a discharge summary, a list of medicines and review dates. The nurse works from those papers line by line.
Kasturba Hospital, Manipal
The nurse works from the discharge summary and review dates written by the surgical team. The follow-up calendar is kept where the family can see it.
KMC Manipal
After surgery at KMC Manipal, the nurse records dressings, drain output, temperature and pain scores each day. The surgeon can read the week at the follow-up visit.
TMA Pai Hospital, Udupi
TMA Pai Hospital is in Kunjibettu, close to our branch, so the coordinator can usually visit the home on the day of discharge or the day after.
Patients treated at other hospitals and clinics in Udupi are handled the same way: the surgeon's written plan comes first.
How Long Post-Operative Care Lasts
The length depends on the surgery and the surgeon's advice. Many families book a nurse for the first one to four weeks. They then step down to a caretaker or a daily visit once the wound has healed and the patient can manage most tasks. The coordinator reviews the plan with you each week, so you only pay for the help that is still needed.
Monthly Cost of Post-Operative Care
These are starting prices for nursing and caretaker care in Udupi. The final rate depends on the patient's condition, the care needed and the hours required.
| Care setting | Starting price |
|---|
| Care at home | ₹900 – ₹1,200 per day (24 hours) |
| Care in hospital | ₹1,300 – ₹1,700 per day (24 hours) |
| Monthly care | From ₹28,000 onwards |
The coordinator confirms the exact figure in writing after the free home assessment. See the home nurse cost page for how the rate is set.
Equipment such as a walker or hospital bed can be arranged on rent and is quoted separately; see home care medical equipment.
Choosing the Right Nurse Level
- Needs help with bathing, meals and walking only: a caretaker.
- Needs medicine supervision and routine checks: an ANM nurse.
- Has a wound, drain, catheter or injections: a GNM nurse, which suits most surgical recoveries.
- Has had cardiac, major cancer or ICU-level surgery, or has unstable vitals: a BSc nurse.
The coordinator recommends the lighter option whenever it is enough. The caretaker vs nurse guide sets out the difference.
How to Arrange Care
- Call +91 73495 13467. For planned surgery, call before the date.
- A coordinator visits for free, reads the discharge summary or surgeon's notes and checks the room.
- You receive the proposed staff type, shifts and cost in writing.
- A matched, background-verified person starts within 24 to 48 hours of the visit. Same-day discharges are prioritised.
- If the match is not right, ask for a replacement. It is arranged at no extra charge, usually within a day.
Areas We Cover
Staff are deployed from the Kunjibettu branch and travel to homes in Udupi town and Manipal at no extra cost. Further out, in Malpe, Kaup, Brahmavar, Barkur, Kundapura, Karkala and Shirva, ask the coordinator about your address; beyond roughly 30 km a modest travel allowance may apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Call before the surgery date if you can. The coordinator then reads the discharge plan with you, and a nurse can be ready on discharge day. After an unplanned discharge, staff usually start within 24 to 48 hours.
Yes. GNM and BSc nurses change dressings on the surgeon's schedule and report any redness, swelling, discharge or fever. A caretaker does not do dressings.
Most surgical recoveries need a GNM nurse for wounds, drains and injections. Cardiac, major cancer or ICU-level cases usually need a BSc nurse. The coordinator recommends a level at the home visit.
Care at home in Udupi starts from ₹900 to ₹1,200 per day (24 hours) and care in hospital from ₹1,300 to ₹1,700 per day. Monthly care starts from ₹28,000 onwards. The final rate depends on the patient's condition, and the coordinator confirms it in writing after the free home assessment.
Yes. The nurse follows the discharge summary and review dates from the hospital and keeps a daily log the surgeon can read at the next visit.
It depends on the surgery and the surgeon's advice. Many families book one to four weeks of nursing and then continue with a caretaker or a daily visit.
The nurse can remind the patient to do the exercises the physiotherapist has taught and assist safely. Treatment sessions are done by a physiotherapist, which we can also arrange.
Ask for a replacement. It is arranged at no extra charge, usually within a day.
Planning Surgery or a Discharge?
Call for a free home assessment. The coordinator reads the surgeon's plan and proposes the staffing and cost in writing.
Call +91 73495 13467
