use warm water or neosporin (off brand antibiotic ointment is fine, NO pain reliever) to moisten the membrane. I suspect the chick is glued to the membrane, and that is why it cannot turn. try to moisten the areas that were exposed to air (the zip location) primarily, but keep the entire membrane moistened.
the final thing that happens before hatch, is that the yolk sucks into the chick's abdomen and the abdomen closes over, forming a navel. the blood vessels that reach out from the chick thru the yolk and onto the membrane also receed during this process. the process begins when the chick first breathes air. this is the internal pip, into the air cell pocket. it breathes air for the first time, and starts sucking in the yolk. only after 12-24hrs does it externally pip. and usually 12-24hrs after that, it begins to zip. during all this time, the absorbing has been happening.
so, since yours started to zip 48hrs ago, I think that all the veins will have receeded by now and that you are ok to proceed. if any membrane is white, moisten it, and you will see the veins. I suspect you wont see any, and will be able to keep assisting. I would zip the shell all the way around, and moisten the exposed membrane. I would use sterile tweezers or another tool to run it underneath the membrane at the initial zip location, to make sure it's feather's aren't still stuck where it was exposed to air. I would unstuck in this way, all around the zip location. then I would put it back and let it get out of the shell on it's own. this could take several more hours, but I think fighting out of the egg is important. keep us posted!!!
Thank you! Yes, I didn't notice any blood vessels at all and it's fighting to get out even with the membrane, so there's still hope.
