Non-ventilated Prone Positioning in the COVID-19 Population

"Patients were educated about self-proning, and instructed to self-prone every 2 hours. The patient documented their position on the checklists every 2 hours.~Upon initiation of the initial proning, the patient was monitored by the research team RN for adverse effects for 15 minutes (such as inability to tolerate position or signs of respiratory distress).~If the patient tolerated the proning well, the RN entered the patient's oxygen saturation into the EMR, and documented the initial position (prone or supine) on the checklist. O2 saturation was documented at least every 4 hours per unit protocol.~The checklists were placed in a binder at the nurses' station at the end of each shift and collected daily by a member of the research team.~This intervention for each proned patient continued until either of the following occurred: ei the patient was discharged to a lower level of care or 14 days had passed."

A retrospective chart review was completed by the research team to ascertain length of stay, oxygenation, and pressure injuries for the control group on the acute care, telemetry monitored unit.