How nurses can reduce patient injury risk during prone-positioning therapy

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses released standardized guidelines to assist nurses in caring for patients undergoing prone positioning therapy, according to a May 16 practice alert.

In order to reduce risk of complications that might arise if a patient is receiving prone positioning therapy for an extended period of time — more than 12 hours per day — the alert provides evidence-based strategies to help avoid pressure injuries, airway obstruction and unplanned extubation, ocular and nerve injuries, and enteral nutrition issues. 

For caregivers, the alert also reinforces the importance of reducing risks when turning a patient.

"Prone positioning poses significant risks for the patient, which can often outweigh the benefits," co-author of the alert Lauren Morata, DNP, APRN-CNS, said. "It's important to evaluate each patient prior to their being placed in the prone position to determine whether there are any relative or absolute contraindications."

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