Mobilisation of epistaxis patients--a prospective, randomised study documenting a safe patient care regime.

Objective: The project aimed at determining whether patients admitted to hospital for the treatment of epistaxis can be mobilised instead of the conventional regime of bed rest without increasing the risks of new bleeding episodes.

Background: A survey of nursing regimes for epistaxis patients has shown that patients were prescribed bed rest in 11 of 16 hospital departments. This prescription has been based on the assumption that bed rest reduces the risk of renewed bleeding.