post colonoscopy position

[JEEMA]

Hi! Just wanna ask everyone how do u position patients after colonoscopy.

We're told to keep them in prone position to press the abdomen and keep the air out; however it is not mentioned in the books.

The doctor already takes the air out from the colon as he comes out, so is there still a need to keep patient in that position?

Most of our patients usually asks to go to the toilet after the procedure, though their colon are empty anyway.

We're drafting a policy & procedure guideline in our dept so we are unsure if we need to mention positioning post procedure.

[patsue53]

We usually just tell our patients that it will be easier to expel the air if they stay on their left side.......but then I tell mine that they can lay however they're comfortable. We don't have a written policy about it. I kind of look at it as one of those issues that the patient should be allowed to control....they'll fart if they need to, we don't need to give them instructions in the fine art of it.