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Outpatient Surgery E-Weekly

Malpractice Verdicts Often Favor Physicians

Physicians come out on the winning end of 80% of malpractice claims that end in jury verdicts, according to researchers at Massachusetts General Hos...

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Wrong-Site Prevention Video Shows the Right Way

Wrong-site, wrong-patient and wrong-procedure surgery must be prevented at all costs. The 3 steps of the Joint Commission's Universal Protocol make ...

Archive > December, 2006 Vol. VII, No. 12

Prevent Patient Positioning Problems

Practical advice to reduce injuries from prolonged pressure and improper positioning.

Suzy Scott-Williams, MSN, RN, CWOCN

The chief aim of positioning a patient for surgery is to allow the surgeon and his staff sufficient access to the surgical site, the airway, IV lines and monitoring devices. But the prolonged pressure and shear force of improper positioning can compromise patient safety, resulting in deep tissue injuries such as circulatory interruption, perioperative pressure ulcers and nerve compression, even in routine surgical procedures. Here's how to avoid them.

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