5 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9
Pressure injuries
and skin breakdown
aren't our only con-
cerns when it comes
to patient position-
ing. We're also on
guard against nerve
injuries, especially
to arms and legs.
We have to
remember that most
of us don't sleep for
6 hours with our
arms up over our
heads, without mov-
ing. We have to be
very careful we're
not putting pressure
on the brachial plexus. Or, if we're putting legs in a lithotomy
position, we have to make sure that we're not putting pressure
on the nerves behind the knee in the popliteal fossa.
So, padding is one consideration, but positioning is also
extremely important. Sure, you can put the arms of an elderly
patient up over his head during surgery, and he won't complain
because he's asleep, but if his range of motion is more limited
than that of other patients, you could end up with a serious injury.
In fact, determining range of motion is part of our pre-surgery
DON'T GET ON PATIENTS' NERVES
Proper Positioning Can Save an Arm and a Leg
• OUT ON A LIMB Good positioning protects not only patients' skin, but also the
nerves and muscles of their arms and legs.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
