Positioning impact on the surgical patient.

The operating room is unknown territory to most health care providers. It frequently brings up thoughts of blood, strange smells, and cold temperatures. Many nursing programs have scheduled little, if any, time in this environment for students. As a result, few nurses who practice outside of this specialized area understand the patient care events that occur in the operating room. Those who have selected the operating room for their work environment know that it is a somewhat isolated period in the perioperative experience. This article provides insight into this area of patient care and a greater understanding of how patients are positioned, the physiologic impact of these positions, and some consequences that may impact the postoperative care of these patients.