A patient is in the supine position for a procedure. Padding is placed under the elbows to decrease pressure on which nerve?

Padding is placed under the elbows in the supine position primarily to decrease pressure on the ulnar nerve. The ulnar nerve runs along the inner aspect of the elbow and is susceptible to compression when there is significant pressure or prolonged resting on the area. When a patient is positioned supine, especially during surgeries that may require extended time, ensuring that there is adequate padding under the elbows helps to distribute pressure evenly and prevent nerve injury.

Maintaining awareness of the position of the patient’s limbs and the use of padding is critical in surgical settings to afford protection against nerve damage. Proper positioning and padding are vital for enhancing patient comfort and preventing postoperative complications such as neuropraxia, which occurs when nerves are compressed or stretched.

Though other nerves, such as the brachial, axillary, and median nerves, are important to consider in terms of upper extremity positioning, the ulnar nerve is most closely associated with the location where padding is applied under the elbows in this context.