Describe the use of a tilt table or hospital bed to prepare a client for an upright position.

Description should include the primary situations in which a tilt table or hospital bed would be used to prepare a client for an upright position. A tilt table or hospital bed would be needed for a client who

• has syncope when standing
• has been immobile for an extended period and requires progressive adjustment to the upright position.

Process/Skill Questions:

• What vital sign is essential to monitor when assessing syncope? Why?
• What other physiological changes are indicative of syncope? What is their significance in client care?
• What precautions must be observed when using a tilt table?