Despite time-outs and standard protocols, positioning-related nerve and pressure injuries continue to occur in spine surgery.
They tend to strike where teams least expect them — in high-complexity cases, in prone and lateral positions, and in patients whose risk was never flagged. The consequences reach past the individual patient to case delays, difficult conversations and real medico-legal exposure. And because these injuries are considered preventable, documentation gaps can leave teams exposed when care is later questioned.
Perioperative leader Jen Anzalone, MSN, RN, brings evidence-based, room-ready guidance to address them. During the session, she’ll walk through risk identification, pressure redistribution, equipment selection and the documentation language that stands up both clinically and legally without slowing turnover.
Learnings include:
- Injury patterns tied to supine, prone and lateral positioning, and who is most at risk
- How to match padding, supports and table configuration to patient risk and case type
- Where to build risk scoring, reassessment and neuromonitoring awareness into routine workflow
- Documentation language that supports patient safety and reduces liability