Nursing & Healthcare Programs

Prone Position

Written by Hollie Finders, RN
Hollie Finders is a registered nurse with years of experience working in the health care field. She has degrees in both biochemistry and nursing. After working with patients of all ages, Hollie now specializes in pediatric intensive care nursing. Hollie’s LinkedIn

Procedure

Equipment needed: pillow.

  1. Perform hand hygiene.
  2. Explain the procedure to the patient and ask for his or her assistance in following directions.
  3. Lock the bed wheels and raise the bed to a comfortable working height.
  4. Lower the side rail on the working side. Ensure the opposite side rail is raised.
  5. Lower the head of the bed until the bed is completely flat.
  6. If the patient is in the supine position, move the patient to the side of bed and turn the patient onto his or her side.
  7. Once the patient is side lying, decide if there is enough room to complete the roll onto the patient’s stomach.
  8. If there is not enough room, move the patient to the side of the bed while he or she remains in a side lying position.
  9. When there is adequate room, complete the roll by assisting the patient onto his or her stomach.
  10. Ensure the patient’s head is turned onto its side. Place a pillow under the head for comfort. Pillows or rolled towels can also optionally be placed under the abdomen and the shins to help maintain proper body alignment.
  11. Position the hands at the patient’s sides or flex the arms and allow the hands to rest next to the patient’s face.
  12. Ensure the patient is comfortable, return the side rails to their original position, lower the bed, and make sure the call light is within the patient’s reach.
  13. Perform hand hygiene.
  14. Document the procedure in the patient’s chart and report any changes in the patient’s condition to the nurse.

Important Information About the Prone Position

Prone position is not used as commonly as other patient positions. This position allows for full extension of the hips and the knees and gives many bony prominences a break from continuous pressure. However, placing patients in prone position does not come without the risks of pressure ulcers. In the prone position, there is excess pressure placed on areas of the forehead, chin, clavicles, chest, pelvis, knees, and feet [1]. For this reason, it is important to continue to reposition patients at least every two hours.

In the prone position, many patients can experience adverse effects if the body is not properly aligned and supported. Patients who suffer from hyperextension of the back in the prone position can benefit from a pillow or towel roll placed under the abdomen. This helps reduce extreme curvature of the back, and ultimately, reduces pain. A pillow placed under the patient’s shins will help support the legs and ankles and prevent foot drop. Depending on the patient’s condition, prone position may not be recommended. Always consult with the nurse before turning the patient prone.

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4390897/

More Resources

Offering the Bedpan

When a resident is bed-bound, they must use a bedpan to urinate and defecate. This can be embarrassing for the resident, so it should be done with sensitivity to the resident’s privacy and dignity. There are two types of bedpans. A regular bedpan is the deeper and more rounded of the two. A fracture pan has a relatively flat upper end with a trough at the lower end. Fracture pans are used for residents who have difficulty, or restrictions against, moving their hips and/or backs.

Measuring the Radial Pulse

The radial artery, located in the wrist, is easy to feel and an efficient location to measure heart rate. Changes to the rhythm or strength of the radial pulse can indicate heart disease, damage to the arm, or body fluid status. It is important to remember to check the radial pulse on both sides as differences between left and right can indicate injury or disease processes.

Perineal Care of the Male Resident

Perineal care should be performed during a bath, after using the bedpan, and/or after incontinence. Special care should be used when performing perineal care on an uncircumcised male. Failure to retract and wash the area under the foreskin can result in infection. Failure to return the foreskin to its normal position can result in paraphimosis.

Moving the Resident to the Side of the Bed

Residents are usually kept in the center of the bed for safety reasons. However, moving a resident to the side of the bed is an important step to take before turning a resident onto his or her side. Performing this action allows the resident to end up side lying in the center of the bed and not smashed up against the side rail.

Tympanic Membrane Temperature with Electronic Thermometer

A tympanic membrane thermometer uses an infrared sensor to measure the temperature of the tympanic membrane (ear drum). This type of thermometer is considered an accurate and reliable predictor of a patient’s core temperature because the tympanic membrane’s blood supply is sourced from the carotid artery, which is the same artery that carries blood to the hypothalamus in the brain.

Performing Ostomy Care

Residents who have had a portion of their intestines removed due to illness or trauma may have a temporary or permanent ostomy, which is an opening in the abdomen that is created for the elimination of urine or feces. The portion of the intestine that is connected to the abdominal wall and is visible is called the stoma. A pouch is placed over the stoma to collect feces.