Bedrail Dangers for the Elderly
Although bedrails are supposed to protect the elderly patient, there is actually a significant risk associated with their use. Many factors contribute to bedrail injuries and deaths. An agitated patient who tries to leave the bed can easily fall. Incorrect placement of the safety device leaves spaces for skin and limbs to be stuck. Understanding the risks helps to reduce the chances of something negative happening. Avoid injuries by properly training staff or caregivers on evaluate the elderly patient's bedrail placement daily.
Entrapment
The Joint Commission reported in 2002 that many elderly patients die due to entrapment within their bedrails. If there is significant space between the mattress and bedrails, there will be enough room for an elderly person to become stuck. If the patient is unable to call for help and the entrapment occurs when no one is around, it can be hours before anyone notices. By that time, many serious things could occur because of the entrapment such as permanent injury or death.
Injury
Bedrails that are not properly set up or padded can cause considerable injury to an elderly person. A small cut may not be a big deal for a younger patient, but to an older person it can become fatal. Other conditions make minor injuries a larger risk factor for the elderly, so even the smallest scrape or cut can be a problem for an older person who is bedridden. Bruises are another potential problem that can occur because of bedrails.
Falls
Age and Aging reported in 2008 that one-fourth of all falls in health care settings are from beds. The 2008 study concluded that bedrails do not increase falls. However, earlier research published in 2002 in Age and Aging factually supports the belief that they do. While bedrails should prevent fall-related injuries, in fact they often make the injury worse by adding more height. A delusional patient locked into his bed may attempt to escape by climbing over the bedrails, thereby falling. Even if the patient is not clinically delusional, he may become confused or impatient and attempt to get out of the bed with the bedrails raised.
Improperly Trained Staff
If the nurses and caregivers are not trained properly the risk of bedrail dangers increases. Bedrails checked daily ensure that these risks decrease significantly. Additionally, checking on the patient often and making certain there is a reliable method of communication discourages his or her desire to leave the bed with the rails still raised. To be effective, training of the staff should be measurable by some type of criteria rather than an informal explanation given by a fellow employee.
Death
According to the Joint Commission, all of the reports of death due to bedrails that the organization received occurred in individuals over the age of 65. Although deaths from bedrails take place due to several factors such as head injury from a fall or complications from other injuries, all of the cases reported to the Joint Commission were due to asphyxiation. The single most important method of preventing death is to properly train and supervise staff members who are responsible for caring for the elderly patients.
Tags: Joint Commission, Bedrail Dangers, Bedrail Dangers Elderly, bedrails there, Dangers Elderly, elderly patient, elderly patients
