I checked into the hospital the day before surgery. It was a Sunday, so the hospital was far more peaceful that day than a typical day. There was some paperwork to complete initially (most of the pre-admittance was taken care of over the phone previously) but the first thing they did was blood work and vitals. After blood work they brought in lunch and I met with staff for patient educational purposes. From there the staff gave my wife a tour of the hospital, ICU waiting room, ICU, etc. Meanwhile I had a chest x-ray and urinalysis done and met with the respiratory therapist to establish a baseline with the spirometer. They let me leave the hospital for dinner with my family. When I returned they shaved my torso and legs (for the men) and I had to shower with the antiseptic soap. All of the tests and meeting with the staff probably only took 60-90 minutes total, but it was spread throughout the day. So definitely bring an iPad or something to read. At least for me there was a lot of waiting in between various events.