BED MAKING

Provide Support to Meet Personal Care Needs

CHCIC301A

Bed Making

Ongoing provision of basic cleanliness, comfort and safety

Clients may spend long periods of time in bed, undertaking various activities – depending on individual health state, and on situational factors (ie if at home, or in a health care agency)

Principles

Factors to consider with each bedmaking

episode:

Prevention of cross-infection Safety and comfort for the client Maintenance of good body mechanics

Prevention of cross-infection

Wash hands or use alcohol hand rub before and after making each bed

If linen is very soiled, wear gloves for removal

Dirty linen is put immediately into soiled linen bag (white or brown bag) or as per organisation – never onto floor !!

Don’t shake or flick linen excessively Linen shouldn’t touch floor, or be held up

against carer’s clothing Linen should only be put onto a clean

surface prior to bed making NO interchange of linen between clients

Client safety and comfort

Ensure that bed brakes are on, and that bed is returned to its original position (usually to a height the resident can easily access), after bed making is complete

Promote comfort, by having sheets free of rough areas, wrinkles or creases, food crumbs and foreign bodies

Avoid areas of potential pressure, ie hems of sheets away from direct contact with client’s skin

If waterproofing layer is used, must not come into contact with client’s skin

Need to particularly consider safety and comfort, if client occupies bed whilst it is being made

Body mechanics of the carer

Maintain good body alignment when bed making – avoid bending, stretching and twisting

Use large leg muscles (bend knees), rather than back muscles

Work smoothly and rhythmically – 2 people to make beds together is optimal

If able, raise bed to a comfortable working height (usually waist high) – to avoid bending and back strain

Prepare well – gather all equipment initially, and avoid legwork

Bed features

Many types of beds available, with multiple modifications possible

In health agencies, most are “hi-lo”, allowing adjustment of the bed base up and down

Most also allow position changes, ie head/feet up/down

Different types of operation – some have hand-winding action, others with hydraulic foot pump mechanism and release button, some are electric

Bed brakes Bed heads and feet are detachable, for

emergency access situations, or for transfer of clients on their beds

Bed “attachments”

Trapeze/overhead “monkeybar” Bedstick

Drainage tube bag hangers Client call bell Bed siderails – may constitute restraint!

Bed aids

Most bed aids relate to the comfort and correct positioning of a client

If bed aids used, need to be appropriately selected and used

Pillows – with waterproof cover

Bed aids - Mattress

Many different types Air alternating Egg carton

Bed cradle Sheepskin – for under buttocks, or

elbow/heel protectors Wedges/wedge shaped pillows Footboards/foot bolsters Absorbent layers

Sheepskins

Medical sheepskins – green in color

30mm pile (springy), especially tanned

High density-creates a cushion that distributes body weight & pressure points over a large area-each fibre acts as a spring

Sheepskins Cont.

Wool can absorb moisture up to 33% of its weight without feeling wet

Reduces friction & shear

Medical sheepskins are stamped

The steps to making an unoccupied bed

Wash & dry hands

Place clean linen & soiled linen skip near the bed

Ensure that there is a chair on which to place the bed clothes

Ideally there would be two people to make the bed

Move the bedside locker & over bed table if necessary

Adjust the height of the bed – it should sit about hip height

Place pillows on the bed. Place any soiled pillow slips in the skip

Loosen the upper bed clothes

Remove each item of upper bed clothes separately, fold & place on the chair. Loosen the bottom bed clothes, fold & place on the chair. Any soiled items are placed in the linen skip

Roll, rather than fold the waterproof sheet (if applicable)

Pull the mattress well up to the head of the bed

Commencing with the bottom sheet, each item is replaced separately

Ensure the hem of the sheets is facing outward to protect the resident’s skin

Some facilities will have fitted bottom sheets

Note the centre of the sheet follows down the middle of the bed

If a draw sheet or Kylie sheet / Kylie pad is used it is positioned approximately 25cm from the head of the bed. The bed clothes should be centred and unless being made up as an open bed, tucked in around the mattress

The mitred or military corner

Most hospitals and residential care facilities will make their beds with the sheets having a mitred corner

The steps

Once the sheet is placed on the bed tuck the bottom end of the sheet under the end of the mattress

Pick up, about 20-30cm from the end of the sheet, and place it on the top of the bed – this should make a bit of a triangle shape

Tuck the sheet that is still hanging toward the floor under the bottom of the matteress

The steps continued

Then bring the top part of the triangle down and tuck into the mattress for the BOTTOM sheet

Each layer of linen is tucked in the same way

Often the top sheet and blankets are left without the step above so that all of the sheets are not tucked in along the side of the bed – this makes it easier to get patients and residents back into bed

A mitred corner

At the top end of the bed, fold the top sheet over the blanket. The top layer of blanket is generally tucked under from the top

Ensure there are no wrinkles in any layer of the linen

Many facilities will have their own policies about using resident’s own linen, and how the bed should look

Some facilities do not like to have blankets underneath showing Be aware of your facility’s policy on laundering of personal linen

Replace & arrange the pillows to meet the resident’s needs If a person is to return to bed, the top corner of the upper bed

clothes may be folded back Ensure the bed is returned back to an appropriate level for the

resident to get back into bed, and place call bells etc in reach Make sure there is no linen hanging on the floor

Replace any furniture Tidy around the resident’s bed side eg serviettes, tissues etc Remove linen skip Wash & dry your hands

Now to make the occupied bed

Wash & dry hands Explain the procedure to the individual &

ensure privacy Collect clean linen & linen skip before

commencing to make the bed Move the bedside locker & over bed table if

necessary

Ensure there is a nearby chair on which to place the bed clothes

Adjust the height of the bed Leaving sufficient pillows to support the individual,

place the reminder on the chair Remove each item of upper bedclothes separately.

Bed clothes to be replaced are folded and put on the chair. Cover the person with a procedure blanket before removing the top sheet. Place soiled items into the linen skip

Remove accessories such as bed cradle

Support the individual & gently turn him onto one side of the bed. If only one nurse is making the bed, the side rail away from her should be elevated (if insitu)

Loosen the bottom sheets on the occupied side, and roll each one towards the centre of the bed. Brush out any debris eg crumbs. Eliminate any creases from the mattress cover

Working at the unoccupied side of the bed, either:

Unroll, pull the bottom sheets taut, and tuck in around the mattress OR If using a fresh sheet, place on the bed and unfold it so that centre laundry crease lies at the centre of the mattress. Tuck in at the top, bottom and side. Roll the excess to the centre of the bed

Carefully turn the individual to the other side of the bed, providing adequate support as he is moved. If appropriate, elevate side rail

From the opposite side of the bed, either: Remove any soiled sheets and place in the linen skip

OR Untuck and roll sheet/s to the centre of the bed Ensure that side of the mattress is free from debris and

ceases, unroll and tuck the sheet/s in around the mattress Assist the individual back into the centre of the bed, arrange

the pillows to meet the need and assist him into position

Replace any accessories, put on the top sheet and remove the procedure blanket

Replace the blankets and quilt, ensuring that they are positioned to cover the individual’s chest and shoulders. Make foot pleats in the upper bed clothes and avoid tucking them in to tightly

Adjust the height of the bed – ensure nurse call bell within reach

Replace any furniture. Remove the linen skip. Wash and dry hands.