Hospital Bed

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Hospital Bed

By kelingmedical

Purchasing the right hospital bed is a crucial choice for hospitals as well as patients who require care at home. If you are buying a hospital bed, clinic bed, or even a person’s home bed, finding the right hospital bed can be the difference between a patient’s comfort, safety, and care. There are so many varieties of hospital beds out there, it is hard to figure out which one will work best for the patient and caregiver.

This comprehensive guide walks you through the main factors and features to consider when shopping for a hospital bed. Now that you know all of these things, you can make a better choice and be certain that the hospital bed you end up selecting does the best job possible to improve the patient’s quality of life, comfort and safety.

Types of Hospital Beds
Hospital beds are of several types, adapted to different patients and surroundings. Learning which one is right for you will enable you to pick the right one.

Manual Hospital Beds
There are no electric hospital beds because the manual beds are manually crank-operated. These beds tend to be cheaper and can be used by someone or a facility that doesn’t have a large budget. But they take more work to get used to than electric beds. They are manual beds which are used if the patient does not need frequent adjustment or is stable.

Perfect for: On-a-cheap settings, stable patients, ambulatory care.
Electric Hospital Beds
Electric hospital beds are convenient because you have electrically managed head, foot and bed height adjustments. These beds are comfortable to use for patient and the caregiver, because you can adjust them by the push of a button. Electric beds are perfect for patients who need frequent repositioning or are more complex — mobility-limited, chronically ill or bed-bound patients.

Favorite use cases: Patients who need frequent repositioning, long-term care patients, home health care.
Semi-Electric Hospital Beds
Semi-electric hospital beds bridle the manual and electric. They have electrical head and foot control for the bed, but they are usually manual height controls. These beds are affordable as well as comfortable and hence are widely used in healthcare institutions.

Best suited for: Home care homes, those who want some electric tuning but at a lower price.
Low Hospital Beds
The low hospital beds are inclined to come up near the floor and lower themselves so that people who wish to exit bed do not fall. They’re especially handy for the elderly patients or those at higher risk of falling.

Best for: Fall Risk Patients, Older Adults, Recovering from Surgery or Injury.
Bariatric Hospital Beds
: Bariatric hospital beds are made for heavier or extra-large patients. These beds are more weight bearing and large surface area beds to ensure the comfort and safety of the patient.

Ideal for: Obese Patients or people who need extra room to stretch out and feel comfortable.
Key Features to Consider
When shopping for the hospital bed, there are many things to consider when deciding on the one that’s most going to help the patient be comfortable, safe and easy to operate for you.

Adjustability
For patient comfort and caregiver convenience, having the height, head and foot positions of the bed can be very important. A telescopic hospital bed makes it possible for nurses to transfer the patient from position to another and spare their backs and joints.

Adjustments to Head and Feet: You can lift the head or feet of the bed for treating specific conditions including, but not limited to: difficulty breathing, poor circulation, and pain.
Height Adjustment: If the bed can be raised or lowered to accommodate a caregiver, the bed can be moved by the caregiver more easily and injuries are minimized.
Side Rails
The side rails are a great safety measure, especially if patients frequently fall out of bed. They hold the patient secure and reduce accidents such as fall, often in the middle of the night or when patients are unconscious or confused. Side rails will normally be raised or lower as required by the patient.

Best for: Patients who are displaced, patients aged over 50, or patients with poor mobility.
Weight Capacity
There are different weight capacities of hospital beds, so you need to choose one that’s safe for the patient. The majority of normal beds are about 350 pounds, while bariatric beds can be fitted for larger bodies.

Recommended for: Heavy-duty beds should be selected for patients who are overweight or over the normal weight range.
Mattress Compatibility
Hospital beds are often bought together with special medical mattress. It’s the mattress that will keep a patient in bed for as long as possible without causing them bedsores. Many hospital beds can be used with pressure-free mattresses to prevent pressure ulcers.

For: Bed-sores at risk patients, the unmobile, and the chronically ill.
Maneuverability and Locking Casters
Hospital beds must also be portable, particularly for inpatient care where space is not always available. Consider beds that are on sturdy wheels or casters that swivel to make moving it effortless. It should also have locking casters so the bed can stay in place in case of emergency, and not needlessly move during care.

Recommended for: Patients that need bed repositioning often and doctors who need to relocate the bed in limited spaces.
Ease of Use for Caregivers
You want the bed to be simple for caretakers to manage, either by cranks or by buttons. Look for beds with easy-to-use controls and less work to get the bed just right. — Remote controls are also a common element in electric beds, so you can control the bed without reaching for the bed.

Ideally for: Providers who see patients frequently and need to lessen the physical burden.
Durability and Construction
Hospital bed must be long-lasting and stable so that patients can stay safe. Find beds that are built solidly, and that have materials that are durable in a lot of use, such as a hospital. Beds that are steel or heavy-duty aluminum are usually tougher and will last longer.

For Hospitals, Clinics and a long-term Care Center.
Patient Comfort
Comfort is important in the hospital bed when you have patients who need to be in bed for extended time. Headrests that are adjustable, mattresses with comfort padding, and soft padding can all make a difference to a patient’s comfort level.

Best for: Patients coming off surgery or having chronic pain.
Home Use Hospital Bed or Hospital Use Hospital Bed?
Hospital beds do most of the same thing, but hospital beds at home are smaller, cheaper and more user friendly. They’re created to be accessible to the home-caregiver and have intuitive features such as bed-adjustment remotes and simpler forms.

Home Use Beds: Lighter, easier to adjust, and have some basic safety options such as side rails and height adjustment.
Hospital Use Beds: Generally higher end with some extras for doctors, like integrated monitoring system and built more durable for extended use.
Conclusion
When it comes to selecting the right hospital bed, there is a lot of weight that could go into the patient’s comfort, safety and wellbeing. Whether you’re shopping for a home bed, hospital bed, or long-term care bed, there are a few things you need to look at: adjustability, safety, durability, and patient’s needs.

You will know this and know the different hospital beds you can get so that you can make a smart decision to provide optimal care for the patient and for the caregivers.