REHAB SERVICES Q: What is "proning" and how is this used to treat COVID-19 patients? A: Proning is the process of turning a patient from their Donna Laakso, MPT back onto their stomach so the individual is lying face down. This practice has been around for years and used with awake and intubated patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. This position has been found to be beneficial for the patient as it allows for the expansion of the back of the lungs. It affects the distribution and volume of air in the lungs, and can have direct effects on the expansion or collapse of the alveoli that permit exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. Prone positioning essentially uses gravity to assist with pulling fluids away from the back of the body. Nursing and therapy often work together to assist a patient into a prone position while monitoring their breathing and oxygen needs. I have seen the need for supplemental oxygen decrease and oxygen saturation levels improve when a patient is positioned in prone. Therapy can assist the patient in getting into this position using pillows or adjusting the bed for comfort. The healthcare team recommends trying to change your position when awake every 30 minutes to 2 hours, including prone positioning. On an incidental note, the song Here comes the sun" by the Beatles will forever have a new meaning to those of us working in the hospital. Every time a patient with COVID-19 is discharged from the hospital they play part of the first verse on the overhead speakers. It brings me great joy to hear this! Please continue to wear your masks and stay safe. Happy Holidays! Sanford Bemidji Rehab Services 1300 Anne Street NW Bemidji, MN 56601 (218) 333-5898 www.bemidji.sanfordhealth.org SANFORD" TM Bemidji REHAB SERVICES Q: What is "proning" and how is this used to treat COVID-19 patients? A: Proning is the process of turning a patient from their Donna Laakso, MPT back onto their stomach so the individual is lying face down. This practice has been around for years and used with awake and intubated patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. This position has been found to be beneficial for the patient as it allows for the expansion of the back of the lungs. It affects the distribution and volume of air in the lungs, and can have direct effects on the expansion or collapse of the alveoli that permit exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. Prone positioning essentially uses gravity to assist with pulling fluids away from the back of the body. Nursing and therapy often work together to assist a patient into a prone position while monitoring their breathing and oxygen needs. I have seen the need for supplemental oxygen decrease and oxygen saturation levels improve when a patient is positioned in prone. Therapy can assist the patient in getting into this position using pillows or adjusting the bed for comfort. The healthcare team recommends trying to change your position when awake every 30 minutes to 2 hours, including prone positioning. On an incidental note, the song Here comes the sun" by the Beatles will forever have a new meaning to those of us working in the hospital. Every time a patient with COVID-19 is discharged from the hospital they play part of the first verse on the overhead speakers. It brings me great joy to hear this! Please continue to wear your masks and stay safe. Happy Holidays! Sanford Bemidji Rehab Services 1300 Anne Street NW Bemidji, MN 56601 (218) 333-5898 www.bemidji.sanfordhealth.org SANFORD" TM Bemidji