When a family member needs surgery, that usually means the waiting room for loved ones. Those of you who have been there know how stressful it can be sitting in hospital waiting room.

When your loved one has surgery you'll be escorted to the family waiting room. There a volunteer is ready to help you, and she will be an important liaison between you and your family member during the operation.

Marie Nassaney, a hospital volunteer at Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center explains, "I like volunteering. If they get nervous and say how long is it going to be? And I just call back there and find out how much longer it's going to be."

And while you wait - there's a tv and recliners but you should bring something to keep you busy like a crossword puzzle or a good book. It can get lonely in the waiting room so you can bring another family member but try to keep it to a minimum.

Joe Rodriguez, a registered nurse also at Southwest Florida Regional advises, "Usually it's best to limit the amount of people that are here. Usually two family members it's not a good idea to bring little children in, it really isn't set up to entertain the children in the waiting area while they're there."

Normally, surgeries take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half but it all depends on how complex the procedure is.

Rodriguez explains, "once the patient is out of the operating room they are taken into the recovery area where they'll be there another hour to an hour and a half." And once your loved one comes out of surgery you'll be taken here to a private consulting room where the doctor will be waiting to tell you how well the procedure went. "They normally take them into the conference room to protect the privacy of your family member while they're giving you an update on their procedure."

The bottom line to make your waiting room experience the best possible is be prepared.

It's also a good idea to bring some change with you, as most hospital waiting rooms have vending machines for snacks as well.