A nurse in the postanesthesia care unit admits a patient following resection of a gastric tumor. Following immediate recovery, the patient should be placed in which position to facilitate patient comfort and gastric emptying?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Positioning the patient in a Fowlers position postoperatively promotes comfort and facilitates emptying of the stomach following gastric surgery. Any position that involves lying down delays stomach emptying and is not recommended for this type of patient. Supine positioning and the left lateral (left Sims) position do not achieve this goal.

A Nurse in the Postanesthesia Care Unit Admits a Patient