When planning to move or reposition the client, ask for help from other caregivers. It will also be a form of exercise, increasing the client’s independence and self-esteem. Clients that can assist will save strain on the nurse. Determine if the client can fully or partially assist. Encourage the client to assist as much as possible.Rapport with the patient will make them more likely to maintain the new position.

Explain to the client why their position is being changed and how it will be done. Remember these principles and guidelines when positioning clients: Proper execution is needed during patient positioning to prevent injury for both the patient and the nurse. Proper positioning allows ease of surgical access as well as for anesthetic administration during the perioperative phase. In surgery, proper positioning is a way to respect the patient’s dignity by minimizing exposure of the patient, who often feels vulnerable perioperatively.

Maintaining patient dignity and privacy.

Proper positioning promotes comfort by preventing nerve damage and by preventing unnecessary extension or rotation of the body. Impaired venous return to the heart and ventilation-to-perfusion mismatching are common complications. Support the patient’s airway and maintain circulation throughout the procedure (e.g., surgery, examination, specimen collection, and treatment). Specifically, patient positioning goals include: The ultimate goal of proper patient positioning is to safeguard the patient from immobility injury and physiological complications.

In most settings, proper positioning of patients provides airway management and ventilation, maintains body alignment, and provides physiologic safety. In surgery, specimen collection, or other treatments, proper patient positioning provides optimal exposure to the surgical/treatment site and maintenance of the patient’s dignity by controlling unnecessary exposure. Positioning patients is an essential aspect of nursing practice and a responsibility of the registered nurse. Patient positioning involves properly maintaining a patient’s neutral body alignment by preventing hyperextension and extreme lateral rotation to prevent complications of immobility and injury. Support Devices for Patient Positioning.

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