1. Is the patient a risk?
When doing a risk assessment with regards to positioning of a patient, the follow factors must considered:
- How old the patient is
- How long the surgery will take
- What the overall condition of the patient is
- Does the patient smoke
- How will be patient need to be positioned in order to access the surgical site
- What positioning devices will be required
- Does the patient have any underlying conditions that would increase his/her risk, for example diabetes, obesity, malnutrition, vascular disorders
- Has the patient had previous surgery, if so what surgery was done
- Has the patient had a joint replacement
- Is the patient pregnant