Impact A Medical Profession

Bed Safety Rails – Which Bed Rail Should You Choose?

Bedside rails are designed for fall management or to prevent fall injuries. As many adults age, they find themselves more prone to accidentally rolling out of bed during the night and falling to the floor. These falls can result in serious injuries. Bedside rails help to prevent these types of accidental injuries. Bed side rails come in an assortment of sizes including full length size, ¾ length, half length and quarter length. A full size bed rail covers nearly the entire length of the bed with sometimes only a small gap at each end. While a full length bed rail is in the "up" position, an individual in the bed is prevented from rolling off the bed and on to the floor.

These types of bed safety rails have fallen under some legislative scrutiny of late due to possible entrapment and undue restraint. Some individuals in care facilities have felt that caregivers were using bed rails as restraint devices to keep them from leaving their beds. When full length rails for beds are employed, it becomes almost impossible for many elderly patients to get out of bed unless the caregiver provides assistance. Older models of bed side rails had wide gaps between the rails that allowed some patients to entrap their arms, legs and sometimes even their head. Manufacturers have redesigned bed side rails to reduce their restraining characteristics and to function more in the role of prevention and safety. Many bed side rails are designed so that the patient can engage or disengage the bed rail while lying in their bed. With this functionality, control is given back to the patient and less outside restraint is involved. Bed rail manufacturers have also significantly reduced the potential for entrapment of arms and legs by making the space between the rails smaller. Modern bed rails are notably more efficient in providing safety for individuals than they have been in the past.

Assist rails function as a load bearing device rather than as a restraining device. Bed assist rails are designed to aid individuals in getting in or out of bed. Assist rails provide a hand hold or grab bar to provide additional leverage for getting in or out of bed. Another use for assist rails is to provide weakened or recovering individuals with an aid to turn over or reposition. Many modern assist rails have multiple positions to better serve the needs of individual patients. Many assist rails easily attach and detach from the bed without the use of tools. Bed assist rails are usually made much sturdier than bed rails due to the role of the assist rail in providing support to the patient. Some patients find that a bed assist rail can serve a dual role as a bed side rail and for fall management by merely repositioning the rail.

Modern safety bed rails have come a long way from just a few years ago. Their ability to prevent injuries and assist patients has increased while decreasing as a safety hazard or restraint device. Popular manufacturers of bed safety rails include Invacare, Drive, Graham-Field, Posey and Standers. Many different types of bed rails are available for discounted online purchases.

About the Author

Vitality Medical is a medical supply company with an online presence since 2000. Their website provides information, resources and medical products to enhance the lives of people recovering from surgery or suffering from a chronic aliment. Vitality Medical provides an assortment of discount bed safety rails for hospitals, care centers and homecare.

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