patient with painful skin shear injuries. There are several ways to pre-
vent that.
Place a foam or gel pad under the patient — between their skin and
the table — to prevent skin shearing. The friction created by the pads,
which are taped to the table or held down with straps, help hold the
patient in place.
Foam padding and sponges can also serve to protect parts of the
patient's body that might be injured under pressure or accidental pok-
ing. Protect the ulnar nerve with foam padding underneath the elbow,
and the peroneal nerve with padding around the knee to prevent the
peroneal nerve from coming in contact with anything solid, like a
metal rod, that might damage it, says Dr. Sinha.
• Mind your elbows. Be aware of excess pressure that's being put on
vulnerable parts of a patient's body during surgery, like the femoral
nerves around the groin.
"A surgeon is focused on the part that's exposed for surgery," says
Dr. Sinha. "The surgeon may put elbow pressure on a (patient's)
abdomen that they're not even seeing."
• Prevent foot drop. During the set-up to the procedure, remember
to be wary of foot drop — a gait issue that occurs when weakness in
the foot prevents a patient from lifting the forefront of their foot off
the ground after surgery. A patient who suffers from foot drop may
have to go through physical therapy or surgery to correct the issue; or
they might never be able to correct it, leaving your facility open to a
potential lawsuit. Placing a footboard at the edge of the bed can keep
the feet aligned and prevent foot drop.
• Braces or "speed bumps." While foam pads can help keep a
patient secure on the bed, you'll need to take other precautions to keep
the patient from slipping during surgery with the Trendelenburg.
Braces that fit around your patient's shoulders can keep this from
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