Positioning & Draping Techniques Flashcards
7 cards from real PMC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Positioning & Draping Techniques flashcards as text
A client in her second trimester asks if she can lie prone for her massage. Which response is MOST accurate?
Answer: Prone is acceptable in the first trimester but contraindicated from the second trimester onward without a specialized bolster system
Standard prone positioning is contraindicated once the abdomen is enlarged, but a specialized cutout bolster system can safely allow a modified prone position.
Which of the following describes the correct sheet draping technique when transitioning a side-lying client to the other side?
Answer: Hold the sheet firmly against the client while she rolls, maintaining continuous coverage
Holding the sheet firmly against the client during repositioning maintains continuous modesty coverage while allowing safe movement.
What physiological change in the third trimester makes a wedge under the right hip beneficial even in side-lying position?
Answer: It slightly tilts the uterus leftward, improving venous return through the inferior vena cava
A small wedge under the right hip tilts the uterus leftward, relieving compression on the inferior vena cava and improving blood flow back to the heart.
During draping for gluteal work on a side-lying pregnant client, what is the correct boundary for sheet exposure?
Answer: Drape so only the gluteal region is exposed, keeping the lower back and thigh covered
Proper draping exposes only the specific gluteal area being worked on, maintaining coverage above and below to preserve client modesty.
A pregnant client reports that her arm falls asleep during side-lying massage. What positioning adjustment would BEST address this?
Answer: Place a rolled towel under the dependent (lower) shoulder to reduce brachial plexus compression
A rolled towel under the dependent shoulder slightly elevates it, reducing compression on the brachial plexus and restoring circulation to the arm.
When positioning for work on the lower legs of a side-lying prenatal client, how should the top leg be supported?
Answer: Flexed at the hip and knee with a pillow supporting it parallel to the table
Supporting the top leg flexed and parallel to the table with a pillow prevents pelvic torsion and allows comfortable access to the lower extremity.
What is the MAIN reason therapists avoid using electric warming table pads for prenatal massage clients?
Answer: Sustained elevated body temperature poses risks to fetal neural development
Sustained maternal hyperthermia, particularly in the first trimester, is associated with neural tube defects and other fetal developmental risks.