Anatomical Positions & Body Planes/Directions Flashcards
lying flat on the back with knees bent
-vaginal/rectal exams
Dorsal Recumbent
upright sitting position with the exam table raised to a 90 degree angle; best position to help a patient who is having difficulty breathing
(semi-position shown)
Fowler’s
lying flat on the table with buttocks at the end of the table and feet resting in stirrups (ex: vaginal/rectal examination)
Lithotomy
lying flat on the abdomen with arms above head
exam of spine/back
Prone
lying flat on the back with arms down to the side (used for doing an EKG, measuring an infant, any procedure that requires a patient to be lying on their back)
breast/abdominal exams
Supine
lying on left side with the left leg slightly flexed and the right leg flexed at a 90 degree angle (exams involving the rectum and administering enemas)
Sim’s (lateral)
legs elevated above the head to force circulation to vital organs (effective in raising a patient’s low blood pressure)
Trendelenburg
The client lies prone with buttocks elevated and knees drawn to the chest to accommodate rectal procedure or examination.
Knee-Chest Position
divides the body into anterior and posterior sections
Coronal/Frontal
divides the body into left and right
Sagittal
divides the body into top (superior) and bottom (inferior) parts
Transverse
at or near the front of the body (front view)
Anterior
at or near the back of the body (back view)
Posterior
an imaginary vertical line that divides the body equally (right down the middle)
Midline
farther from midline (side view)
Lateral
