Question

question 12 of 100
a patient who has been on bed rest is to get up in a
chair. the personal care assistant helps the patient to
sit on the edge of the bed. the patient says, “i am
dizzy.” what should the pca do?

a. rub the patient’s feet.

b. help the patient to a standing position and
see if the dizziness goes away.

c. put a cool compress on the patient’s
head.

d. support the patient in a sitting position
and wait a minute or so to see if the
dizziness goes away.

Explanation:

When a patient on bed rest feels dizzy after sitting up, this is likely orthostatic hypotension. The safe, standard response is to keep the patient supported in the sitting position to prevent falls and allow time for their blood pressure to stabilize, as moving them further (like standing) could increase fall risk, and other options like rubbing feet or cool compresses are not the first priority.

Answer:

D. Support the patient in a sitting position and wait a minute or so to see if the dizziness goes away.