Chapter 9: Patient comfort and supporting personal hygiene
Skip chapter table of contents and go to main content
Source: Spencer ([217]).
Related theory
The bed is an important piece of hospital equipment used by patients to rest, although there is currently a drive to reduce the amount of time patients unnecessarily stay in bed (Oliver [169]).
Hospital beds are generally composed of a metal frame (some are divided into three sections to assist with positioning) and set on castors or wheels to aid mobility. Hospital beds have become more sophisticated. Many have electrical or battery‐powered motors that are operated via a control panel attached to the bed; these can help to alter the patient's position or alter the height of the bed. This assists nurses by reducing the strain of altering a patient's position, and it assists patients by giving them some autonomy in altering their own position independently (Ghersi et al. [74]). Common bed positions are highlighted in Table 9.3 and shown in Figure 9.2.
Table 9.3 Common bed positions
| Supine/flat | Mattress flat and parallel to the floor |
|
| Fowler's position |
Head of the bed raised to 45° or more; the end of the bed may be raised at the knee to stop the patient sliding down the bed |
|
| Semi‐Fowler's position | Head of bed raised, but to a lesser degree than the Fowler's position |
|
| Trendelenburg | Mattress in the level position, entire bed tilted with the head of the bed down and feet elevated |
|
Figure 9.2 Bed positions.
Standard healthcare mattresses are usually constructed of supportive foam with a waterproof lining to aid with cleaning (Spencer [217]). There are a number of more sophisticated mattresses available that use variable air pressures; these can offer pressure relief to patients who are at risk of developing pressure damage while in bed for extended periods.
