Hospital beds for long-term care have undergone a total transformation in the past 30 years. For instance, manual hand cranks at the foot of the bed have been replaced with convenient hand pendants and footboard-mounted master control panels and full-length side rails have been discontinued in favor of quarter-length. The new Lynacare™ HC107 Hi-Low Hospital Bed was designed with these best clinical practices in mind and many others as well. Continue reading to catch up on the latest research findings and how the HC107 promotes evidence-based best practice in long term care.

Preventing Back Injuries

Musculoskeletal injuries are commonly experienced by nurses as they bend over to provide care and reposition patients in bed. In fact, nurses have the highest rate of back injuries for all occupations with up to 90% of nurses reporting back pain at some time during their careers. Many of these injuries occur when they bend over to care for patients, so semi-electric fixed-height hospital beds are being phased out in favor of full-electric beds with adjustable frame heights. The Lynacare™ HC107 bed can be raised to a 30” working height at the touch of a button so that nurses can stand upright as they provide patient care. This helps to minimize the load placed on the lumbar spine and prevent painful back injuries.

Helping Patients to Sit and Stand

Even though “low bed position” has been a standard fall prevention intervention in nursing practice, no single bed height is ideal for all patients. Adjusting the bed height to match each patient’s body size and capabilities helps improve sit-to-stand performance and reduces fall risk. In order to rise to a standing position most easily, patients must be seated with their buttocks completely on the mattress and their feet on the floor. If the bed is too high, patients are liable to slip off the mattress as they scoot forward to touch their feet to the floor. Additionally, patients have much more difficulty rising to a standing position and keeping their balance once they are upright if the bed is too low (5-7). The Lynacare™ HC107 bed can be adjusted to any height between 7” and 30” to accommodate almost every patient.

Using Low Bed Height to Prevent Falls

Historically, vest restraints or full-length side rails were used to prevent patients from rolling off the bed or getting up without assistance. However, they posed serious safety threats due to strangulation and entrapment. Patients were also at greater risk of head trauma, lacerations, and fractures due to falls while climbing over raised bed rails. Current best practice is to use high-low beds for these patients as part of a comprehensive fall prevention program. These beds can be raised to a safe working height and then lowered to the point where the frame is just a few inches above the floor. The patient will fall a much shorter distance after rolling out of bed, and floor mats can be used to further minimize the impact on the floor. The Lynacare™ HC107 bed frame can be lowered to just 7” off the floor, and caregivers can even lock out the frame height adjustment on the hand pendant depending on the patient’s condition and mental status.

Using Quarter-Length Side Rails

While full-length side rails are considered to be restraints, quarter-length rails provide a secure hand grasp for patients as they enter and exit the bed. They also assist patients with turning and repositioning in bed, and define the sides of the bed to provide a sense of security. However, they must fit tightly against the mattress to prevent entrapping the patient’s head, neck or limbs. The FDA recommends that there should be no more than 4.75” of space between the rail and the mattress or within the rail itself. The rails must also lock securely into position when they are raised so they will not fall onto a patient’s neck or limb. The Lynacare™ HC107 bed’s quarter-length rails can be lowered by caregivers and they automatically lock into place when they are raised. They fit tightly against the mattress with just 1.25” clearance and are made from a solid textured material for a strong grip.

Adjustable Bed Width

Standard long-term care hospital beds are 35” wide, but research suggests that they may be too narrow for patients whose BMI is greater than 35 kg/m2. Beds that are too narrow make it more difficult for patients to be repositioned in bed, putting nurses at higher risk of suffering musculoskeletal injuries. Patients are more likely to develop pressure sores when they are not able to shift their body weight sufficiently in bed. Additionally, a bed that is too narrow makes it easier for patients to roll past the edge of the mattress and fall onto the floor. Researchers now recommend placing patients whose BMI is between 35-40 kg/m2 on beds that are at least 40” wide (10,11). The Lynacare™ HC107 bed deck easily expands from 35” to 39” or 42” in width to safely accommodate patients who weigh up to 500 lbs. The bed deck can also be extended from 80” to 84” or 88” to accommodate patients of varying heights.

Conclusion

Advancements in technology and nursing research have changed long term patient care practices dramatically over the years. Many of these were implemented in the new Lynacare™ HC107 Hi-Low Hospital Bed, including the high-low height, quarter-length side rails, and adjustable width deck. It was created to help schools balance cost and functionality as they promote evidence-based practice in long-term care. Overbed tables, bedside cabinets, and patient manikins are also available to provide complete long-term care training solutions. For more information, reach out to a DiaMedical expert at 877-593-6011 or info@diamedicalusa.com 

References

1. Dressner, M. & Kissinger, P. (2018). Occupational injuries and illnesses among registered nurses. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov
2. Tariq, R., George, J., Ampat, G., & Toney-Butler, T. (2022). Back safety. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519066/ 
3. Tosunoz, I. & Oztunc, G. (2017). Low back pain in nurses. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 10(3), 1728-1732. 
4. Freitag, S., Seddouki, R., Dulon, M., Kersten, J., Larsson, T. & Nienhaus, A. (2014). The effect of working position on trunk posture and exertion for routine nursing tasks: An experimental study. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 58(3), 317-325. 
5. Mongrain, C. (2019). Hospital bed components & safety: Expert overview. Retrieved from https://www.robsonforensic.com/articles/hospital-bed-safety-expert 
6. Hillrom. (2016). Preventing falls: Optimal bed height. Retrieved from https://www.hillrom.com
7. Morse, J., Gervais, P., Pooler, C., Merryweather A., Doig, A. & Bloswick, D. (2015). The safety of hospital beds. Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 2, 2333393615575321. 
8. Christman, M. , Morse, J., Wilson, C., Godfrey, N., Doig, A., Bloswick, D., & Merryweathera, A. (2015). Analysis of the influence of hospital bed height on kinematic parameters associated with patient falls during egress. Procedia Manufacturing, 3, 280-287. 
9. Lane, V. (2019). How a bed safety program can help avoid entrapment risks. Retrieved from https://www.hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/site/altc/articles/how-bed-safety-program-can-help-avoid-entrapment-risks 
10. Wiggermann, N., Smith, K., & Kumpar, D. (2017). What bed size does a patient need? The relationship between body mass index and space required to turn in bed. Nursing Research, 66(6), 483-489. 
11. Fragala G., Perry B., & Fragala M. (2012). Examining bed width as a contributor to risk of falls from bed in long-term care. Annals of Long-Term Care: Clinical Care and Aging, 20(6), 35–38.