the SCDs directly to your facility.
Ms. Herder's center went with the
latter option in order to "cut out the
middleman."
4. Patient positioning
Preventing pressure injuries
requires proper positioning and
padding. To make the job easier,
manufacturers have created several
position-specific devices for your
trickier cases, including head pro-
tectors and mats that reduce sliding
in Trendelenburg, special table
attachments for hip and knee cases
and even padded hand positioners
for surgeons performing wrist surgery.
One especially problematic position is prone, which can cause
blindness if excessive pressure is placed on the patient's ocular
nerve, says Mr. Morsut. For patients in this position, he says
staffers use a special memory-foam device that distributes pres-
sure evenly around the face. It features cutouts for the eyes and a
mirror underneath it to let anesthesia better monitor patients dur-
ing the procedure.
Positioning is especially important in spine cases, where patients
are left in prone position for extended amounts of time, says Mr.
Morsut. For these cases, the center uses a special bed frame that
cushions the patient's pressure points while cradling his body into a
gentle "C" shape. "They're going to be in that position for more than
an hour, so they need to be well-cushioned," he says. "Basically, the
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 0 1
• PREVENTING VTE Continue patients' prophylaxis
for venous thromboembolism at home with take-
home sequential compression devices.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
