Fundamentals of
Positioning
Positioning
The proper alignment of the head, shoulders, hips, and spine to reduce strain and promote comfort
What is body alignment?
Patient is sitting upright at 90o
What is high Fowler's?
Tissue injuries that form from prolonged pressure on bony prominences
What are pressure injuries?
Before moving a patient, the nurse must always perform this check to make sure the bed doesn't move
What is locking the bed wheels?
What are the knees or legs?
This term is the study of the movement of body parts
What is kinesiology?
Patient is laying flat on their back
What is supine?
Elevating the head of the bed reduces the risk of this complication in patients with swallowing difficulties
What is aspiration?
The best position to prevent pressure ulcers on the sacrum.
What is lateral or side-lying?
When elevating the head of the bed, placing a pillow under this area prevents the patient from sliding downward
What are the elbows or arms?
This is the most common pressure point to protect when a patient is lying supine
What is the heels?
Patient lies flat on their back with legs elevated
What is Trendelenburg?
Positioning can help reduce this type of pain by decreasing pressure on joints and improving comfort
What is musculoskeletal pain?
This device should always be within reach after repositioning to prevent falls
What is the call light?
In supine position, a pillow should be placed under these areas to prevent flexion contractures of the neck
What are the head, neck, and upper shoulders?
Nurses should reposition most patients at least this often to prevent pressure injuries
What is every 2 hours?
Patient is lying face down
What is prone position?
Changing a patient's position improves this essential physiological process by promoting lung expansion
What is ventilation?
This is one of the most common injuries for health care workers
What is lower back strain?
In prone position, a pillow under this area decreases pressure on the diaphragm and decreases hyperextension of lumbar vertebrae
What is the abdomen?
These types of actions require less effort compared with pushing or lifting
What are pulling actions?
Patient is on their back with knees flexed and soles of the feet flat on the bed
What is dorsal recumbant?
The resistance to stretch in damaged muscle that pulls a joint into a fixed position
What is contractures?
In positioning, the nurse should use these muscles as much as possible to avoid injuries
What are leg muscles?
In Fowler's position, placing a pillow under this area helps maintain neutral alignment and prevents cervical flexion
What is the head and neck?