Hospital Bed With Rails / Electric Hospital Beds With Side Rails

Benefits of a Hospital Bed with Rails

There are numerous reasons why a medical bed with rails is the preferred choice of many patients. According to the FDA, people should be carefully monitored and assessed to ensure that they need a bed with rails, but despite any dangers (which are almost always related to user error) of bed rails, there are many more benefits. Some of these benefits include:

• Hospital beds that have rails can help patients turn and reposition more safely.
• They allow for easier transfers for both the patient and/or the caregiver.
• They help many patients or users (and their caregivers) feel more secure and add a level of comfort to their beds.
• Bed rails also help some patients achieve additional mobility and stability during transfers and transports to aids such as a transport wheelchair, walker, or rollator.
• The user can hang their bed controls or personal belongings over the rails of the hospital bed to allow easy access.

Are Hospital Beds with Rails Necessary?

One must not forget that hospital beds that have handrails on them are still medical devices. Therefore, if a user does not absolutely need the extra stability, security, or convenience features that a bed with rails can provide, there is no reason to invest in such a hospital bed. Actually, these beds are often referred to a user by a licensed physician – and should always be.

Safety Tips for Users 

Elderly people and those with mobility issues, mental issues, and physical impairments need to know some basic rules of “what not to do” if they are using a hospital bed with rails. Many of the accidents and injuries that occur with bed rails arise from instances of users not being aware of the standard guidelines for use, which are listed below:

Don’t Hang or Climb Through Rails

Never try hanging on the rails, or trying to squeeze your body through them. Doing so may result in serious injury, strangulation, suffocation, and even death if a user gets caught in between the rails and their hospital bed mattress. Therefore, whether or not bed rails will be positively effective depends on personal physical and psychological assessment. Bed rails should never be utilized by anyone who may be the type to try to sneak through the rails.

Don’t Climb Over

Users must never try climbing over the rails or leaning over them completely, since this can cause serious injury, and even prove fatal in some cases. Seniors are at the highest risk for falls due to their lack of mobility and balance. From dementia and Alzheimer’s all the way to reduced balance due to medications and motor skill loss, personal disability and impairment should always be evaluated to determine a particular user’s risk level.

Beware of the Hard Surface

Bed rails are made of hard surface materials, and users should not bear all of their weight on them or hit them. Doing so can lead to scratches, blunt force injuries, bruises, and, in the worst-case scenarios, broken bones. To avoid this, users may want to purchase bed rail bumper pads.

Types of Beds with Rails

Three primary types of hospital beds can have rails. While many may come with them already installed, some hospital beds require that they be purchased and attached separately. The types of beds are:

Full Electric

Electric hospital beds with side rails should be used carefully when it comes to patients that may have limited or decreased cognitive function. Further, the caregiver’s individual abilities should also be evaluated when choosing the right bed. Some elderly patients who suffer from delirium may not realize that a body part (or their body as a whole) becomes positioned in the bed rails when the bed is being raised or lowered. Clearly, this can cause severe injury if the rails do not adjust with the head section of the bed. Most fully electric beds have the capability to be raised at the head and foot sections, and are often height adjustable using electronic controls, push buttons, and remote controls. They must be plugged into a wall outlet for the highest degree of safety, though many also include a manual crank in order to raise or lower the bed in case of emergencies.

Semi Electric 

Semi-electric hospital beds with side rails are similar to full electric beds, although the height is often adjustable by means of a hand crank, foot pedal, or other manual means. These beds still do have an electronically controlled head and foot section in order to help with positioning and easy transfer for the patient.

Manual

Manual beds are only operated and repositioned using mechanical means, most often with a hand crank, to fully control all positioning aspects of the user and the bed’s frame itself. These beds are extremely useful for those who struggle to operate models with electronic devices, and those who are worried about the user causing harm to themselves. This point proves particularly important when evaluating the best devices for those who suffer from psychological conditions, as mentioned above. Manual beds have to be operated by a caregiver or family member, and the users themselves cannot adjust the bed while they are in them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are a few frequently asked questions regarding hospital beds with rails:

Q: Are there king or queen sized beds available?

A: While there are models of adjustable beds that come in all sizes, medical-grade hospital beds for home use are usually available only in twin size or full size, depending on whether the model is a bariatric bed or not. There is no such thing as a queen size hospital bed with rails, nor is there an option for king sized beds.

Q: Do hospital bed rails cover the entire length of the bed?

A: While it is possible to have bed rails cover the majority of a bed in length, one may also benefit from using a hospital bed with half rails. Some hospital beds actually have rails that only cover a small portion of the bed to aid users in sitting up and getting in and out of bed.

Q: Does a hospital bed come with a mattress?

A: Unfortunately, most hospital beds and mattresses must be purchased separately. The good news is that we have an excellent inventory of air pressure hospital mattresses to accommodate our hospital bed users.

Reach out to us and let us know what you need! You can always call us at 1-877-813-7799 if you have any questions or concerns. We have a fully trained staff of knowledgeable customer service representatives that can assist you by answering your questions and helping you with your order. And don’t forget: as with all hospital beds on our site, full size hospital beds with rails always ship free!