A patient taking a vasodilator complains of dizziness when getting out of bed to go to the bathroom. The nurse should advise the patient to do which of the following to try to prevent orthostatic hypotension?
a. Drink two glasses of water just prior to changing positions to get out of bed or stand up to walk.
b. Avoid abrupt position changes by slowly moving into another position.
c. Ask for the bedpan to avoid having to get out of bed.
d. Rapidly transition to the sitting position in the bed and then dangle the feet to improve circulation prior to walking to the bathroom.
ANS: B
The patient should avoid abrupt transitions from a supine or seated position to an upright position so that postural hypotension does not occur.
Drinking two glasses of water just prior to ambulating will not help prevent dizziness and may lead to worsening heart failure if the patient has this problem or is unable to urinate in the toilet.
Using the bedpan can cause unnecessary, prolonged immobility and potentiates the possibility of clots.
A rapid transition of the body from the supine position into the sitting position will cause orthostatic hypotension.
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