Enferm Intensiva.

2017;28(3):125---134

www.elsevier.es/ei

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Analysis of complications of prone position in acute

respiratory distress syndrome: Quality standard,
incidence and related factors夽
E. Jové Ponseti (RN)∗ , A. Villarrasa Millán (RN), D. Ortiz Chinchilla (RN)

Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Hospital Parc Taulí, Consorci Sanitari Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain

Received 10 April 2015; accepted 22 December 2016

Available online 24 July 2017

KEYWORDS Abstract
Acute respiratory Introduction: The monitoring system based on standards of quality allows clinicians to evaluate
distress syndrome; and improve the patient’s care. According to the quality indicators recommended by Sociedad
Nursing record; Española de Medicina Intensiva Crítica y Unidades Coronarias, and due to the importance of
Prone position; prone position (PP) as a treatment in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, it is
Standard of quality fundamental to keep accurate record of serious adverse events occurring during the prone
position procedure and its posterior analysis.
Objectives: To establish fulfilment of the Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva Crítica y
Unidades Coronarias standards of quality according to the register of serious complications.
To identify the incidence of serious complications registered as well as to identify possible
factors related to these complications.
Method: Retrospective, cross-sectional descriptive study, polyvalent ICU (16 beds).
Study population: Patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome treated with PP (January
2012---December 2013).
Study variables: PP recording, accidental extubation, removal of catheters, decubitus ulcers
(DU), ETT obstruction, urgency of the procedure, hours in PP, nutritional intake, type of feeding
tube, food regurgitation/retention and use of prokinetics/muscle relaxant.

夽 Please cite this article as: Jové Ponseti E, Villarrasa Millán A, Ortiz Chinchilla D. Análisis de las complicaciones del decúbito prono en el
síndrome de distrés respiratorio agudo: estándar de calidad, incidencia y factores relacionados. Enferm Intensiva. 2017;28:125---134.
∗ Corresponding author.

E-mail address: [email protected] (E. Jové Ponseti).

2529-9840/© 2017 Sociedad Española de Enfermerı́a Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias (SEEIUC). Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights
reserved.
126 E. Jové Ponseti et al.

Results: The study sample comprised 38 cases, with an adequate record of complications in
92.1% of the cases.
DU were the only serious complication recorded, with a 25.7% incidence.
Possible factors related to DU: more hours in PP in patients developing DU (p = 0.067). Less
incidence of DU in well-nourished patients (p = 0.577).
82.9% of patients were not appropriately nourished.
Conclusions: The percentage of records duly completed is very high. The presence of DU (grade
1---2 mostly) is to be noted. There is no statistical significance, although a trend is obsersed,
between DU and hours in PP.
© 2017 Sociedad Española de Enfermerı́a Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias (SEEIUC). Published
by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

PALABRAS CLAVE Análisis de las complicaciones del decúbito prono en el síndrome de distrés
Estándar de calidad; respiratorio agudo: estándar de calidad, incidencia y factores relacionados
Síndrome de distrés
Resumen
respiratorio agudo;
Introducción: El sistema de monitorización mediante indicadores de calidad permite evaluar y
Decúbito prono;
mejorar la calidad asistencial. Atendiendo a los indicadores recomendados por la Sociedad
Registro de
Española de Medicina Intensiva Crítica y Unidades Coronarias y dada la importancia del
enfermería
tratamiento postural en decúbito prono (DP) de pacientes con síndrome de distrés respira-
torio agudo, resulta crucial el registro de las complicaciones que puedan producirse durante el
procedimiento y su posterior análisis.
Objetivos: Determinar el grado de cumplimiento del estándar de calidad recomendado por
la Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva Crítica y Unidades Coronarias en relación con el
registro de complicaciones graves.
Identificar la incidencia de complicaciones graves registradas y posibles factores relacionados.
Método: Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo transversal, UCI polivalente (16 camas).
Población: Pacientes con síndrome de distrés respiratorio agudo tratados con DP (enero 2012-
diciembre 2013).
Variables: Registros DP, extubaciones accidentales, retiradas de catéteres, úlceras por presión
(UPP), obstrucción del tubo endotraqueal, urgencia procedimiento, horas DP, aporte nutri-
cional, tipo de sonda alimentaria, regurgitación, retención alimentaria, uso de procinéticos
y/o relajantes musculares.
Resultados: La muestra del estudio fue de 38 casos habiéndose encontrado un registro adecuado
de las complicaciones en un 92,1% de los casos.
La única complicación grave registrada fueron las UPP con una incidencia del 25,7%.
Posibles factores relacionados con UPP: horas en DP superior en pacientes que desarrol-
laron UPP (p = 0,067); menor incidencia de UPP cuando el aporte nutricional ha sido adecuado
(p = 0,577).
El 82,9% de los pacientes pronados no recibieron aporte nutricional adecuado.
Conclusiones: El porcentaje de registros adecuadamente cumplimentados es muy elevado.
Destaca la aparición de UPP (grado 1-2 mayoritariamente).
No hay significación estadística, aunque sí tendencia, entre UPP y horas DP.
© 2017 Sociedad Española de Enfermerı́a Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias (SEEIUC). Publicado
por Elsevier España, S.L.U. Todos los derechos reservados.
Analysis of complications of prone position in ARDS 127

which causes an increase in pulmonary capillary permeabil-

ity and therefore a diffuse pulmonary oedema.2 ARDS affects
more than one million patients in the world each year,3 lead-
What is known/what is the contribution of ing to a high rate of morbimortality in intensive care units. A
this? fall in mortality has been observed recently, although there
are studies in different healthcare systems which cite a mor-
The PP has been used for years as a coadjuvant in tality of 25%---31%4 or even 58%.5,6
treatment with protective mechanical ventilation in Apart from causing ARDS, the severe hypoxaemia which
patients with Acute Respiratory Distress syndrome. This characterises the syndrome means that patients have to be
postural treatment gives rise to an improvement in ventilated mechanically to increase arterial oxygenation.
oxygenation that is described in many studies, and Currently, as well as protective mechanical ventilation it is
recently several authors have even shown there is an recommended that these patients be placed in the prone
improvement in mortality in patients with severe acute position (PP) as a coadjuvant to ventilation strategy, opti-
respiratory syndrome treated at an early stage with the mising the distribution of the ventilation-perfusion ratio.7
PP. Few studies exist of the PP, how to implement it In 1974 Bryan8 described the technique of ventilating
and nursing care, which based on scientific evidence patients in the PP for the first time, showing an improve-
determine the causes of the serious complications that ment in arterial oxygenation in patients with pneumonia and
arise with the procedure and make it possible to suggest ARDS. Different studies were published after this showing
solutions. an improvement in oxygenation but not that this postural
Care applicability: identifying the percentage of treatment reduced mortality.9---11 Recently, several studies
severe complications that arise during the procedure undertaken in the sub-group of patients with severe hypox-
and possible factors associated with them will make aemia (PaFiO2 : 150) have suggested the opposite, and the
it possible to improve the quality of care by applying study by Guérin et al.12 confirms the increase in survival of
preventive measures. patients diagnosed severe ARDS who are placed in the PP at
Research applicability: this requires the design an early stage.
of broader multi-hospital studies which confirm the This postural treatment is a procedure that is increas-
results obtains and help to define the factors asso- ingly used in Intensive Care Units (ICU). However, in spite
ciated with the severe complications described with of the proven improvement in the oxygenation of ARDS
greater precision. This may open the door to a highly patients treated with this postural change, there is still
interesting line of research to analyse, in depth, the a certain degree of reticence to use it due to the risk it
determining factors that interfere with appropriate involves.
compliance of nursing record-keeping. As is the case whenever patients are moved, the respon-
sibility for this postural change lies with the nursing team
Implications of the study? which, to anticipate and minimise risks, must be aware
of the complications associated with this procedure, such
In connection with the implications for clinical as9,13 : the accident loss and/or obstruction of the ETT;
practice, knowledge of the degree of compliance with the accidental loss of vascular accesses, drainages and
records of severe complications during the procedure catheters; cutaneous lesions; facial, palpebral and/or con-
and the incidence of the same means that nurses must juntival oedema; corneal ulcers; muscular-skeletal spasms;
be made aware of the need to find solution that reduce brachial plexus lesion; regurgitation and/or intolerance of
their appearance and favour better compliance with enteral nutrition and alterations in haemodynamic and/or
the need to keep records. This study shows the impor- respiratory state.
tance of the quality of clinical records and the need In our hospital the procedure for this postural treatment
for nurses to be aware of this, as this permits the con- including its possible complications is standardised in a pro-
tinuity of information and affects patient care, directly tocol, as may be seen in the algorithm of Appendix A, which
influencing their safety. schematically summarises all of the phases of the procedure.
This also have implications in terms of training, Monitoring systems using quality indicators are a method
with specific interventions (educational sessions on of working that permits the evaluation and improvement of
the importance of rigorous compliance with record- care practices. The Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva
keeping, awareness of the procedure, its complications Crítica y Unidades Coronarias (SEMICYUC)14 considers that a
and how to prevent them). quality standard for the PP procedure requires the existence
of a registry of all the complications that may arise. These
include at the least accidental extubation, the accidental
withdrawal of intravascular catheters, the appearance of
decubitus ulcers (DU) and ETT obstruction in 100% of cases.
Introduction The severe complications associated with the implemen-
tation of PP treatment are rare. This does not make the
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe monitoring of the same and their documentation any less
acute alteration in pulmonary structure and function that important, as this makes it possible to evaluate the results
is characterised by severe hypoxaemia, a fall in pulmonary of this care technique.
compliance and residual pulmonary capacity1 secondary to In spite of the importance of this procedure, there are
an inflammatory lesion of the alveolar---capillary membrane few studies which use scientific evidence to determine the
128 E. Jové Ponseti et al.

possible causes of severe complications when the PP is used date of the procedure and case number), while the other
and which make it possible to suggest solutions and improve document was used to record all of the study variables asso-
the quality of care. ciated with the corresponding case number, to ensure data
The objectives of this study are: confidentiality.

- To determine the degree of compliance with the quality

standard recommended by the SEMICYUC for the PP.
Recording process
- To identify the incidence of severe complications recorded
during the procedures. The study was carried out in two phases. During the first
- To evaluate possible factors associated with the said study phase (January 2012---December 2013), the PP work
complications. group in the unit recorded all of the procedures in a stan-
dardised way. In the second phase of the study (the first six
months of 2014) all of the clinical histories of the recorded
Method PP procedures were reviewed, filling out the designed regis-
tration document with all of the study variables and analysis
Design of the data obtained.
For those patients who were placed in the PP more than
A descriptive, retrospective and transversal study under- once during admission, each time they were turned was
taken in a multipurpose adult ICU with 16 beds from January counted as an independent procedure.
2012 to July 2014. Anonymity and data confidentiality were respected,
according to Organic Law 15/1999 of 13 December on the
Study population Protection of Personal Data (BOE of 14 December 1999). The
guidelines of the Ethics Committee of the Institution were
Patients admitted to the adult ICU in Sabadell Hospital with followed.
a diagnosis of ARDS and treated using the PP from January
2012 to December 2013. Statistical analysis

Inclusion criteria For the univariate analysis of continuous variables the rele-
vant measurements of the central and dispersion tendencies
This study included all of the patients in the adult ICU of were described, as well as the normality tests. Frequency
Sabadell Hospital admitted with a diagnosis of ARDS and analysis was used for the qualitative variables.
treated with the PP. Multivariate analysis with statistical indexes suitable for
the characteristics of the variables was used to compare
Study variables and define the associations between variables. The medians
were compared using the Mann---Whitney U test for indepen-
1. The main variable: registration of the PP. dent samples. The chi-squared test was used to compare
2. Secondary variables: proportions.
• Socio demographic variables: age and sex. A value of p < 0.05 with a confidence interval of 95% was
• Clinical variables: main diagnosis and days in the ICU. considered to indicate statistical significance. The SPSS v.
• Procedural variables: 17 program was used for statistical analysis.
- Variables connected with severe complications of
the procedure (during turning manoeuvres and while Results
remaining in the PP): accidental extubations, the
accidental withdrawal of catheters, tubes and/or During the first study period 32 patients were registered
drainages, the appearance of DU (degree and loca- as diagnosed with ARDS and treated using the PP. A total
tion) and obstruction of the ETT. of 38 cases of the PP were obtained, as 2 patients were
- Other variables connected with the procedure: placed in this position twice and 2 patients were placed
hours in the PP, nutrition provided (considering a in the prone position three times while in the ICU. In the
suitable provision of nutrition to be the adminis- second study period, after reviewing the clinical histories
tration of 100% prescribed enteral nutrition and and determining the degree of compliance with the quality
parenteral nutrition), type of catheter used for standard recommended by the SEMICYUC in connection with
nutrition, regurgitation and/or gastric retention the PP procedure, 3 cases (7.9%) with incomplete records
(>250 ml), the administration of prokinetic drugs were detected. While in one case the procedure had not
and/or muscle relaxants and the appearance of been recorded, in the other two although the procedure and
facial and/or conjuntival oedema. the appearance of DU had been recorded, neither the grade
nor the location of the latter had been documented. Sub-
Data recording sheet sequently the severe complications associated with the PP
procedure were analysed together with the factors possibly
Two documents were designed to record data. One was used associated with them in the remaining 35 cases, as the doc-
to record all of the PP that were implemented during the umentation of the incomplete records was not considered
study period (including clinical history number, box number, to be very reliable.
Analysis of complications of prone position in ARDS 129

catheter withdrawal and ETT obstruction) is 0%, and that the

Table 1 Sociodemographic and clinical variables.
only serious complication recorded is DU, with an incidence
Sociodemographic variables of 25.7%. These are associated with admission in the PP, and
they are mainly grade 2 DU. 88.9% of the DU documented
Age (years) Median SD Range were grade 1 and 2 (reddening and blisters). A total of 9 DU
64 +/−14 31---77 were registered, of which 2 were grade 1 and 6 were grade 2.
Sex % No. The grade 1 DU described were located on the ears, cheeks,
Men 57.9 22 chin and back of the foot, and the grade 2 ones were on
Women 42.1 16 the cheeks, eyelids, abdomen, genitals and scapular waist.
Only one grade 4 DU was found, located on the thorax (in
Clinical variables the zone of the breast).
In 22.8% of cases a facial oedema was registered follow-
Days in ICU Median SD Range
ing the period of lying in the prone position, so that the
26 +/−27 6---123
appearance of conjuntival oedema was recorded in 14.3% of
Main diagnosis % No. the procedures that were analysed.
Pneumonia 42.9 15 In connection with nutritional variables, such as hours in
ARD 17.1 6 the PP, the administration of prokinetic drugs and muscle
Aorto-femoral bypass 8.6 3 relaxants, nutrition catheter type and the nutrition given
Acute pancreatitis 5.7 2 (Table 3), the high percentage of patients in the PP who were
Septic shock 5.7 2 given muscle relaxants stands out (80%), as does the high
Liver cirrhosis 2.9 1 percentage of prone patients who did not receive suitable
Alcoholic hepatitis 2.9 1 nutrition (82.9%).
Lung neoplasia 2.9 1 In connection with the possible factors associated with
Pulmonary TBC 2.9 1 the appearance of DU and as may be seen in Table 4,
A influenza 2.9 1 although the average number of hours in the PP is higher
Buerguer’s disease 2.9 1 in patients with DU, this difference is not statistically sig-
Polytraumatism 2.9 1 nificant (p = 0.067). On the other hand, as can be seen in
ARD: acute respiratory distress; TBC: tuberculosis; ICU: Intensive Table 5, more DU were recorded in those patients who had
Care Unit. not received appropriate nutrition, although this difference
was not statistically significant (p = 0.577).

The sociodemographic and clinical variables (age, sex dis-

tribution, days of admission in the ICU and main diagnoses) Discussion
are shown in Table 1, where the most frequent diagnosis is
pneumonia. There are several studies on the response of ARDS patients
The severe complications associated with the PP proce- treated in the PP in terms of their oxygenation. They are
dure that the SEMICYUC includes in the quality standard classified as persistent responders, non-persistent respon-
are shown in Table 2. This shows that the incidence of ders or non-responders.13,15 Likewise, some papers describe
severe complications due to the turning process (extubation, the absence of improvement in the mortality of the patients

Table 2 Severe complications defined in the SEMICYUC quality standard for the PP.
Severe complications linked to the turning process

% No.
Accidental extubation 0 0
Accidental withdrawal of intravascular catheter 0 0
Endotracheal tube obstruction 0 0

Severe complications linked to the duration of the PP

Decubitus ulcers % No. Location

Grade 1 22.2 2 Ears, cheeks, chin and back of foot
Grade 2 66.7 6 Cheeks, eyelids, abdomen, genitals
and scapular waist
Grade 3 0 0
Grade 4 11.1 1 Thorax (breast area)
Total 25.7 9
Facial oedema 22.8 8
Conjuntival oedema 14.3 5
130 E. Jové Ponseti et al.

Table 3 Variables linked to nutrition and the appearance of DU.

Type of nutrition catheter % No.
Salem 40 14
Silicon coated 54.3 19
Other devices 5.7 2
Administration of prokinetics 42.8 15
Administration of muscle relaxants 80 28
Regurgitation 8.6 3
Gastric retention > 250 ml 5.7 2
Amount of nutrition (according to medical prescription)
No nutrition 54.3 19
Partial nutrition 28.6 10
Sufficient nutrition (100% of amount prescribed) 17.1 6
Time en PP Median SD Range
23 +/−13.7 1---58
PP: prone position.

which no critical incident was recorded in more than 200 PP

Table 4 Relationship between the hours spent in the PP
procedures, or the study by Mancebo et al.16 which describes
and the appearance of DU.
a high incidence of complications, although the majority of
DU No. Average range these were not considered to be serious for the patient.
Hours in the PP
These data agree with the results obtained in this study.
No DU 26 16.13
It should be remembered that the SEMICYUC quality def-
With DU 9 23.39
inition for the PP procedure includes the existence of a
Total 35
register of severe complications. These include at least
accidental extubation, the accidents withdrawal of intravas-
PP: prone position; DU: decubitus ulcers. cular catheters, the appearance of DU and obstruction of the
p = 0.067.
ETT in 100% of cases. The PP protocol of our unit includes
the need to record the said complications in the graph of
Table 5 Relation between nutritional quantity and the the patient’s clinical evolution.
appearance of DU. In 92.1% of the cases analysed registration of the
complications arising with the procedure was optimum. It
Nutrition
should therefore be remembered that nursing records, as
Not sufficient Sufficient Total well as being a quality tool, make it possible to ensure
the continuity of patient information and care.21 It is
DU
therefore important to improve compliance with the said
No DU 21 5 26
clinical documents.22,23 Their absence may even be under-
Presence of DU 8 1 9
stood to be a legal, ethical and professional fault that
Total 29 6 35
would raise doubts about whether they had ever been
Sufficient nutrition: the administration of 100% of prescribed prepared.
nutrition. On the other hand, some studies show that malnutrition
DU: decubitus ulcers. is a risk factor in morbidity, increasing the rate of infec-
p = 0.577. tions, the length of admission to the ICU, days of mechanical
ventilation, difficulty in wound scarring and an increase
subjected to this procedure,9,11 although other studies have in mortality.24 There is also scientific evidence that nutri-
been published more recently that suggest the contrary, tional support influences the achievement of better clinical
obtaining an improvement in survival16 and even showing sci- results.25 In connection with the nutrition of these patients,
entific evidence for this in patients with severe ARDS treated our results (82.9% of ARDS patients treated using the PP did
at an early stage with the PP.11 not receive correct nutrition) differ from those obtained in
Nursing publications can be found on the PP procedure, other recent studies. The latter conclude that ARDS patients
how to implement it and the associated nursing care.17---19 in the PP tolerate enteral nutrition and receive suitable
Nevertheless, the truth is that there are few studies of the nutrition. They also suggest the benefit of the prophylactic
possible causes of severe complications due to the PP that administration of prokinetic drugs.26
provide scientific evidence which would make it possible to On the other hand, some works show the incidence of
consider solutions. intolerance to enteral nutrition in patients of this type
It is true that few complications and adverse effects arise amounts to 58.62%.27 Other studies, such as the one by
during the procedure, and that they generally involve no Reignier et al.,28 state that in cases of early enteral nutri-
risk to life, as is shown by the study by Curley et al.20 in tion in patients in the PP more episodes of intolerance are
Analysis of complications of prone position in ARDS 131

detected, at 82% vs 49%. Two options that should be con- The results obtained encourage us to continue perform-
sidered to improve these complications are that smaller ing studies that provide scientific evidence for the factors
volumes be administered and that prokinetic drugs and naso- which may lead to the appearance of DU so that they can
jejunal catheters be used. be prevented, while also considering how important nursing
In connection with the high incidence of DU, the results staff believe their own records to be.
obtained in this study are similar to those obtained by other It was also found to be important to create and imple-
authors. These state that grade 2 and 3 DU appear in 27.58 ment a specific document to record the PP procedure, show-
and 10.34% of cases, respectively,27 while palpebral and/or ing the sociodemographic and clinical data of the patient as
conjuntival oedema occurs in 17.24% of patients in the PP. well as the procedural data (hours in the PP, the appearance
Another aspect that should be taken into account in connec- or absence of severe complications and a description of the
tion with the results obtained for DU would be the time spent same). This document must be included in the procedure
in the PP. Currently there is no recommendation with a sci- protocol to standardise recording and improve the quality of
entific basis for the time that a patient should spend in this care.
position, although one recently published paper states that
there is a tendency to increase the periods of time during
which patients remain in the PP.12 Ethical responsibilities
To conclude, and respecting the severe complications
associated with the turning procedure, no accidents loss Protection of people and animals. The authors declare that
of the ETT, tracheostomy cannula, catheter (nasogastric or no experiments took place in human being or animals for this
bladder), drainage and/or vascular access. This result is sim- research.
ilar to those obtained in other studies, so that the PP may
be said to be a safe procedure, as other publications on this Data confidentiality. The authors declare that no patient
postural treatment conclude.9,29 data appear in this paper.
This study took place in an ICU with broad experience
in the PP procedure. Its main limitations are the size of its Right to privacy and informed consent. The authors
sample and single-hospital nature, as well as the bias intrin- declare that no patient data appear in this paper.
sic to a retrospective analysis that depends on the quality
of the information collected. Conflict of interests
Conclusions The authors have no conflict of interests to declare.

Nurses play an important role in preparing a patient for tur-

ning, implementing the turn and care of the patient while Acknowledgements
they remain in this position, as well as in the prevention of
possible complications. We would like to thank everybody who has contributed to
The percentage of suitably kept records in connection this work in the form of specific contributions or by their
with the PP is very high, even though the quality standard support and encouragement.
recommended by the SEMICYUC was not met. We would like to thank the whole Intensive Care nursing
This study shows the procedure to have a high level of team for their enthusiasm during this time.
safety as no severe complications were recorded in any case Ms. A. Estruga and Mr. Ll. Domènech and Mr. F. Rodríguez
that compromised the life of a patient. for their support and contribution.
DU is the only severe complication found in the imple- Dr. X. García for his time, for sharing his knowledge, revis-
mentation of this procedure, and they are mainly grade 1 ing the manuscript and offering his remarks.
and 2. In connection with possible factors associated with Very special thanks to Ms. R. Jam for her time, dedication
the appearance of DU it should be underlined that, even and support in the development of this research, for shar-
though the relationship between the appearance of DU and ing her knowledge, offering specific input and revising the
time spent in the PP is not statistically significant, a ten- manuscript, as well as for her support and encouragement.
dency may be observed here. On the other hand, fewer DU Ms. Carmen Martín, Head of Intensive Care Nursing and
occur in patients who have received suitable nutrition, while Nursing Management, Ms. Carmen Díaz for her support and
the percentage of patients in the PP who do not receive encouragement of the research and scientific development
suitable nutrition is very high. of the nursing profession.
132 E. Jové Ponseti et al.

Appendix A. PP protocol algorithm

Does this
fulfil ARDS NO
criteria?

Acute commencement
Bilateral infiltrates
CPP<18mmHg (no
left atrial HT)
PaO2 /FiO2 < 200 YES

Are PP Evaluation of
criteria NO other treatments
fulfilled? (Peep, FiO2, Ox. Nitric)

PaO2, FiO2 <150

ARDS<72 hrs. evolution

YES

Are there Risk-benefit

contraindications? YES analysis (individualise
the decision)

ABSOLUTE
Burn/open wound in the face/ventral area
#unstable vertebra NO
#unstable pelvis
RELATIVE
Tracheostomy Recent abdominal surg.
Pregnancy (2, 3
three-months) TEC-Neurosurgery
HEC Overweight NO
Sternotomy Sobrepeso
Severe haemodynamic instability
Conditions that ↑ abdominal P
In spite of
contraindications
Preparation of the YES
material and patient is the PP necessary?

Inform the patient and family

Preparation of the patient
Prepare material resources
Suitable evaluation of degree of sedation (SAS 1-2)
Resuscitation bag + O2 Suitable sedation-analgesia
Secretion suction Maintain minimum monitoring (pulse oximetry)
Electrodes Arterial gasometry
General hygienic material Preoxygenation
2-3 cushions for lateralisations Verify ETT attachment and tracheal balloon pressure
Oral secretion suction
Length of vascular accesses, tubes, drainages, NE
catheters (evaluate changing NGC for a smaller
calibre one, ceasing nutrition and disconnecting the system)
Corporal and oral hygiene, curing wounds (if urgency permits this)
Decide which side to turn the patient
on to depending on vascular
accesses, drainages or wounds
Analysis of complications of prone position in ARDS 133

Low the bolster

TURNING PROCEDURE Displacement to the opposite side of the turn
STANDARD TEAM
Align arm centre bed, palm up under buttock
1 leader (head-ETT) Remove ECG electrodes
2 on each side Perform the turn (at the leader’s order)
Check for complications (loss or obstruction
of the ETT, loss of vascular accesses,
(Individualise the decision depending
drainages, catheters)
on the patient)
Place ECG electrodes on the dorsal area
A synchronised and sequential procedure Auscultate pulmonary fields
Check attachment of the ETT and neuroblockage
PATIENT COMFORT Check/reconnect vascular accesses, drainages, catheters
Suction of bronchial secretions if necessary

Centre and align body

Place in reverse-trendelenburg position
Finish dorsal washing
Activate the anti-sores air system of the mattress
Protect pressure zones with moisturising
Check that the SV passes over the legs
cream and essential oils (individualise
Restart enteral nutrition
depending on the basic state of the patient)

(Fig. 1) (Fig. 2) (Fig. 3) (Fig. 4)

INTOLERANCE
CRITERIA? YES RETURN TO PRONE POSITION

Non-adaptation to MV
Signs of severe hypoxia
(PaO2<55mmHg or SpO2<88%
with 100% FiO2 and PEEP≥5)
Severe haemodynamic
instability (beat disturbance
NO and/or <80mmHg systolic AT and/or
heart rate ≤60 beats per minute)

NURSING CARE REGISTRATION

Time of prone position

Monitor signs of intolerance Haemodynamic instabilities
Monitoring and maintenance of skin integrity Drugs administered
(moisturising cream and essential oils on bony Cures performed (vascular access, wounds)
prominences, eye care, insinuated lateralisations ETT fixation
with turning of head every 2 hours, reverse-trendelenburg Tracheal balloon pressure
position, anti-sore air system, evaluation of pillows if abdominal Final head posture
pressure reduction is required Complications during the turning procedure
PNAVM preventative measures Complications during the period in the PP
Complications monitoring (regurgitation, NE intolerance, DU, Cures by nurses
facial/conjunctival oedema, corneal lesions, neuromuscular damage
(spasms), haemodynamic and/or respiratory alterations
Monitoring of gasometry (120 minutes after turning)
Support for the family

# - Fracture Tr – Three months HEC –Endocranial hypertension TEC- Endocranial trauma

P. Abdominal – Abdominal pressure NE – Enteral nutrition SNG – Nasogastric catheter
ECG – Electrocardiograph SV – Bladder catheter VM – Mechanical ventilation
PNVAM – pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation
134 E. Jové Ponseti et al.

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