Pressure to rush, limited awareness of positioning injury risks, and gaps in equipment are common reasons these injuries occur. And these injuries, like long-term nerve damage and pressure sores, are more common than you might think.

Improper patient positioning could lead to nerve injuries, pressure ulcers, respiratory distress, hemodynamic instability, surgical complications and prolonged recovery times. All perioperative nurses can benefit from the resources available from AORN on positioning the patient.

The revised Guideline for Patient Positioning now recommends the use of a briefing process. See new recommendations for 2023.