AORN Journal
Volume 87, Issue 6 , Pages 1156-1172, June 2008

Safe Positioning for Neurosurgical Patients

  • Danielle St-Arnaud, RN, BSc, CPN(C)

      Affiliations

    • Danielle St-Arnaud, RN, BSc, CPN(C), is a nursing professional development educator for the OR at Montreal Neurological Hospital, Quebec, Canada. Ms St-Arnaud has no declared affiliation that could be perceived as a potential conflict of interest in publishing this article.
    • ,
  • Marie-Josée Paquin, RN, BScN

      Affiliations

    • Marie-Josée Paquin, RN, BScN, is a staff nurse in the OR at Montreal Neurological Hospital, Quebec, Canada. Ms Paquin has no declared affiliation that could be perceived as a potential conflict of interest in publishing this article.

ABSTRACT 

POSITIONING THE PATIENT for surgery is an important part of perioperative nursing care that should not be underemphasized. The combined factors of time, mechanical pressure, and immobility increase the risk of tissue damage.

THE OBJECTIVES of perioperative positioning activities are to balance optimal surgical exposure with the prevention of any injury related to position and to maintain normal body alignment without excess flexion, extension, or rotation.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF POSITIONING and specific considerations with surgical rationale are presented in this article for each of the commonly used neurosurgical positions (eg, supine, knee-chest, prone, lateral, park-bench, sitting). AORN J 87 (June 2008) 1156-1168. © AORN, Inc, 2008.

 

  indicates that continuing education contact hours are available for this activity. Earn the contact hours by reading this article and taking the examination on pages 1169–1170 and then completing the answer sheet and learner evaluation on pages 1171–1172.You also may access this article online at http://www.aornjournal.org.The behavioral objectives and examination for this program were prepared by Rebecca Holm, RN, MSN, CNOR, clinical editor, with consultation from Susan Bakewell, RN, MS, BC, director, Center for Perioperative Education. Ms Holm and Ms Bakewell have no declared affiliations that could be perceived as potential conflicts of interest in publishing this article.This program meets criteria for CNOR and CRNFA recertification, as well as other continuing education requirements.AORN is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.AORN is provider-approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP 13019. Check with your state board of nursing for acceptance of this activity for relicensure.

PII: S0001-2092(08)00189-0

doi:10.1016/j.aorn.2008.03.004

AORN Journal
Volume 87, Issue 6 , Pages 1156-1172, June 2008

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