How many areas can a resident become trapped in a bed with side rails up?
How many areas can a resident become trapped in a bed with side rails up?
To help reduce bed entrapment injuries, the FDA defined the 7 zones of entrapment, or spaces, around healthcare beds where patients could become trapped. Addressing potential issues within the zone can help reduce potential bed injuries.
How many entrapment zones are there?
seven
While recognizing that there are seven potential entrapment zones, entrapment zones 1-4 account for the majority of entrapments and deaths from entrapments. Focusing on these high risk areas allows us to prioritize strategies for deceasing risks.
Are side rails considered a restraint?
if the intent of raising the side rails is to prevent a patient from voluntarily getting out of bed or attempting to exit the bed, the side rails would be considered a restraint. If the intent of raising the rails is to prevent the patient from inadvertently falling out of bed, then it is not considered a restraint.
What are the entrapment gaps in hospital beds?
Bedrails are commonly used as safety devices to prevent people falling from bed. However, although the risk for any individual is extremely low, people can and have become trapped or even strangled in almost all of the spaces that can exist between bedrails or between mattresses, rails, and head- or foot-boards.
What are entrapment gaps?
Why are restraints not tied to the side rails?
The restraints should not be tied to the side rail. The restraint could be pulled too tight if the side rail is put down.
What is the maximum gap between headboard and end of side rail?
The MHRA advise against these things: Gaps over 60mm between the end of the bedrail and the headboard (which could trap the user’s neck).
How can you prevent entrapment?
When using bed rails you can reduce the risk of entrapment by filling gaps with rail pads and wedges. Arm and leg entrapment can be easily prevented with pads that cover the rail openings and offer extra cushioning for patients.
How often should bedside rails be checked?
Both the falls risk assessment and the bedrails risk assessment matrix must be carried out within 24 hours of admission or transfer and re- evaluated following a change in the patients’ condition but within a maximum review of every 7 days.
