Need help

You need to look this up in your textbook. We will not supply you with answers to homework questions. Good luck :)

I am looking for the right answer because one book said fowler and I look in the Internet some resources said trendelenburg position.

I am looking for the right answer because one book said fowler and I look in the Internet some resources said trendelenburg position.

Whatever site you found that on, I would never go there again.

I'm willing to give you some hints. Think about respiratory anatomy. Diaphragm in particular. What is the natural reaction when a person is having a hard time breathing? Would you rather be prone? Supine? Head flat? What is pneumonia? PP also gave you a hint about a position you listed by telling you not to go to that website. Good luck.

• Fowler's position is used for people who have difficulty breathing because in this position, gravity pulls the diaphragm downward allowing greater chest and lung expansion.
  

• Orthopneic or tripod position places the patients in a sitting position or on the side of the bed with an overbed table in front to lean on and several pillows on the table to rest on.
  
• Patients who are having difficulty breathing are often placed in this position since it allows maximum expansion of the chest.
  

My choise on the test was fowler's position but I don't understand why I am wrong.

What were the options for on this test? Semi/High fowlers allows for easier ventilation because of less pressure. Trendelenburg would not be useful for this, IMHO.

Trendelenburg was the answer as per profersor. I chosed fowler's position. I am looking for the rationale.

Uhm are you sure she didn't mean embolism? =P

Trendelenberg is the wrong answer, Fowler's is correct. Now with very severe respiratory distress (think ARDS, treated in the ICU), we position pts prone...but that's probably not something you'll learn in med-surg. If you're curious, it has to do with the anatomy of our lungs; posterior has more surface area than anterior. Position posterior side up, and inspired air rises into the higher portion; more surface area in higher position, more gas exchange.