Abstract: A mobile hospital bed has a recess and has an IV pole supported for movement from an upright position to a storage position in which a hook on the pole is disposed in the recess in order to prevent the hook from snagging clothing or other nearby objects when the IV pole is not being used. The IV pole has three telescoping sections, and two locking mechanisms which respectively releasably secure the lower and middle pole sections and the middle and upper pole sections against relative movement, each locking mechanism being controlled by a manually rotatably actuator. An arrangement separate from the locking mechanisms is provided to prevent relative rotation of the lower and middle pole sections.