A patient has just returned to the surgical floor after undergoing a retinal detachment repair. The postoperative orders specify that the patient should be kept in a prone position until otherwise ordered. What should the nurse do?

(A) Call the physician and ask for the order to be confirmed. (B) Follow the order because this position will help keep the retinal repair intact. (C) Instruct the patient to maintain this position to prevent bleeding. (D) Reposition the patient after the first dressing change.Answer Explanation: For pneumatic retinopexy, postoperative positioning of the patient is critical because the injected bubble must float into a position overlying the area of detachment, providing consistent pressure to reattach the sensory retina. The patient must maintain a prone position that would allow the gas bubble to act as a tamponade for the retinal break. Patients and family members should be made aware of these special needs beforehand so that the patient can be made as comfortable as possible. It would be inappropriate to deviate from this order and there is no obvious need to confirm the order.