Acute Care Beds

Question 1

3 purposes of acute care beds

Answer 1

• To provide support
• To allow access to care
• To allow the ability to alter a patient’s position

Question 2

How many bed rails have to up in order for it to be considered patient entrapment?

Answer 2

3 or 4

Question 3

What does a Stryker Wedge Frame or Foster Frame do?

Answer 3

Allows a patient to be turned in a horizontal plane from a prone to a supine position or vice versa

Question 4

When are turning frame beds indicated?

Answer 4

When:

 - Skeletal stability and alignment are desired
 - To permit a patient to be turned horizontally from prone to supine or vice versa
 - Continuous maintenance of skeletal traction is needed
 - A patient must be immobilized after a spinal fracture and safe/efficient change of position supine to prone and vice versa must be performed

Question 5

Advantages of a turning frame bed

Answer 5

• Allows access to patient for a variety of therapeutic interventions and nursing care
• Allows one person to safely and easily turn the patient
• Allows the patient to be wheeled/transported without removal from the frame
• Allows elevation/lowering of the whole unit to multiple heights for good body mechanics of the care providers
• Allows placement in Trendelenburg position if necessary
• Allows cervical traction to be applied and maintained even when patient is turned

Question 6

Disadvantages of a turning frame bed

Answer 6

• Patient can only be positioned in supine or prone
• Difficult to fit a patient weighing more than 200 lbs or taller than 6 feet
• Not good for patients at risk of experiencing skill problems or skin breakdown
• Contractures may develop unless appropriate exercise and positioning techniques are used
• Occipital pressure ulcers often develop
• Patients with complete quadriplegia have decreased pulmonary capacity when turned from supine to prone on a turning frame bed

Question 7

What is an Air-Fluidized Support Bed aka?

Answer 7

Clinitron

Question 8

Describe a Clinitron bed

Answer 8

Rectangular or ovoid bed that contains 1600 lbs of silicone-coated glass beads called microspheres in which heated, pressurized air flowsthrough to suspenda polyester cover that supports the patient

Question 9

When is an air-fluidized support bed indicated?

Answer 9

• Those who have several infected lesions or require skin protection and whose position cannot be altered easily (burns, spinal cord injuries, etc.)
• Those with extensive pressure ulcers or who are at risk of developing deterioration of the skin (obese)
• Those with recent and extensive skin grafts
• Those who require prolonged immobilization

Question 10

Advantages of Air-Fluidized Support Beds

Answer 10

• Reduces the need for application of topical medication and dressings
• Temperature of the air bed can be controlled
• Bed reduces pressure on the skin making it less likely for sores to develop
• Friction and shear forces to the body/skin are significantly reduced
• Patients can lie on lesions or wounds for brief periods
• The polyester cover becomes a firm surface when turned on making therapeutic or nursing care easier

Question 11

Disadvantages of Air-Fluidized Support Beds

Answer 11

• Polyester cover can be damaged easily by sharp objects
• Air flowing across patient’s skin may cause body fluids to evaporate more rapidly than normal allowing for potential dehydration if not replenished
• Patient may require frequent position changes because fluid may pool in the lobes of the lungs and obese or tall patients become uncomfortable on this bed
• Height of the bed from the floor is often fixed making it difficulty to maintain good body mechanics and sometimes difficult to transfer the patient
• It is a very expensive piece of equipment
• Bed surface may not be rigid enough to allow effective performance of chest compressions required for CPR

Question 12

What are Posttrauma Mobility Beds aka?

Answer 12

Keane or Roto-Rest bed

Question 13

Describe posttrauma mobility beds

Answer 13

These beds are designed to maintain a seriously injured patient in a stable position and maintain proper postural alignment thought the use of adjustable bolsters. It can also oscillate from side to side to reduce prolonged pressure on the skin

Question 14

In what types of patients are posttrauma mobility beds indicated?

Answer 14

• Patients who require skeletal alignment stabilization after extensive trauma with restricted respiratory function
• Patients who require skeletal alignment stabilization after extensive trauma with advanced pressure ulcers
• Patients who require skeletal alignment stabilization after extensive trauma with multiple pressure ulcers

Question 15

Advantages of Posttrauma Mobility Beds

Answer 15

• Cradle movements improve upper respiratory tract function
• Cradle movements reduce the need to turn the patient for pressure relief
• Friction and shear forces associated with turning a patient are eliminated
• Constant motion of the bed may provide some environmental stimulation for neurologically impaired patients
• Constant motion of the bed reduces urinary stasis and improves bowel function

Question 16

Disadvantages of Posttrauma Mobility Beds

Answer 16

• Some patients experience motion sickness
• Some patients feel isolated due to decreased visual orientation
• Exercises and other forms of patient care may be restricted
• Sufficient space is required to allow the bed to oscillate without interference from other objects
• Bolsters and alignment supports must be maintained to provide proper stabilization and alignment to the patient, especially for adequate support to the thorax
• Bed surface may not be rigid enough to allow effective performance of chest compressions required for CPR

Question 17

Describe low air loss therapy beds

Answer 17

These beds have several segmented and separated air bladders that allow the limited escapeof air

Question 18

In what types of patients are Low Air Loss Therapy Beds indicated?

Answer 18

• Those that require prolonged immobilization
• Those at high risk of developing pressure ulcers or have existing ulcers
• Those whose condition requires frequent elevation of the trunk to promote proper respiratory function
• Those who are obese

Question 19

Advantages of low air loss therapy beds

Answer 19

• Can be adjusted to accommodate patient position changes
• Patient’s position can be altered by using electronically operated controls
• Sensors in the bed automatically inflate or deflate air in the air bladders based on the patient’s weight
• The patient’s weight is automatically distributed among the air bladders

Question 20

Disadvantages of low air loss therapy beds

Answer 20

• Air bladders can be punctured or torn by sharp objects
• Frequent alterations to patient’s position must be made to prevent sores
• Bed surface may not be rigid enough to allow effective performance of chest compressions required for CPR