Positioning Patients

Prone Position

Lying face down in horizontal position

Supine Position

Patient lies flat on back with arms at their sides

Knee-Chest Position

Patient kneels so that weight of body is supported by knees + chest

Fowler's Position

Posture assumed by patient when head HOB is raised 45 to 60 degrees

Dorsal Recumbent

Patient lying flat on back with extremities moderately flexed

Semi-Fowler Position

Posture assumed by patient when HOB is raised to 30 degrees

Sim's Position

Position in which patient lies on side with knees and thighs drawn upward towards chest

Orthopneic

Posture assumed when a patient is sitting up in bed at 90 degrees

Lithotomy

Patient lies with hips and knees flexed and thighs abducted

Dorsal

Lying flat on back

Trendelenburg

Position the body is laid flat on the back (supine position) with the feet higher than the head