Question

A nurse assists the health care provider in performing a lumbar puncture on a 3-year-old child with leukemia suspected of central nervous system (CNS) disease. In which position will the nurse place the child during this procedure?

a) Prone
b) Supine
c) Lateral recumbent
d) Sitting with legs crossed

Answer 1

The nurse will place the 3-year-old child in the lateral recumbent position during a lumbar puncture procedure in order to safely access the lower lumbar area of the vertebral column for sampling cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) without risking damage to the central nervous system (CNS) tissue.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse will place the 3-year-old child in the lateral recumbent position during a lumbar puncture procedure.

Lumbar puncture is performed in the lower lumbar area of the vertebral column because the spinal cord does not extend through this region. The needle is inserted between the two lower vertebrae, allowing safe access to sample cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) without risking damage to the central nervous system (CNS) tissue.