BED MAKING

Meaning of Bed Making:

Bed making is a procedure, which enables the nurse to make the bed.

Purposes of Bed Making:

1. Bed making helps the bed & patient’s unit look tidy.
2. Bed making removes the dirt & germs from patient’s bed.
3. Bed making enhances the esthetic looks of the patient’s unit.

Types of Beds:

1. Unoccupied bed/ closed bed
2. Occupied Bed/ Open Bed
3. Cardiac Bed
4. Fracture Bed
5. Cradle Bed
6. Post operative Bed
7. Amputation Bed

Principles involved in Bed Making:

1. Clean to unclean
2. Simple to complex
3. Principles of body mechanics
4. Principles of anatomy & physiology
5. Principles of microbiology

Precautions to be taken during bed making:

1. The uniform of the nurse should not touch the bed while making a bed.
2. Soiled linen should not be thrown on floor.
3. First lift the mattress while loosening the bed linen or removing the sheets. The sheets should not be pulled forcefully.
4. The bed linen should be folded from top to bottom or side-to-side. This applies to fold the mattress also while making one unoccupied bed.
5.  As self-precaution while tucking bedding under mattress, the palm of the hand should face downwards to prevent injury of nails.
6. The open end of the pillow should not face to the entrance of ward.
7. The beds should be in one line for better look.

Striping the Bed:

This is a procedure to remove bed linen from a bed, which has been previously used. This is required either to air the bed or put the bed in sun or making it ready for future.

Procedure:

1. When a chair or a stool has been provided with the bed, the chair or stool is placed at the foot end of the bed.
2. Place the pillow over the seat of the chair or on stool.
3. The bed sheet should be loosened from right.
4. Fold bed sheet twice, bring top hem to bottom hem, pick up at the center.
5. The blanket should be folded in similar way.
6. Soiled sheets should be removed & should not be thrown on floor.
7. Fold the draw sheet in two & place it over the chair.
8. The mackintosh should be folded in similar pattern.
9. The mattress should be turned from top to bottom or from side to side.

 Making an unoccupied bed or Closed Bed:

Articles required:

1. Spring or metal led- sheet bed.
2. Mattress
3. Pillow
4. One mackintosh (Rubber draw sheet)
5. Two large sheets
6. One draw sheet
7. Pillowcase.
8. One blanket
9. Bed spread or bed cover
10. Mattress cover or Dari
11. Mattress protection, dari or mat.

Procedure:

1. Wash hands
2. The bed should be put where it is required.
3. The other items are kept on a bench near the bed for convenience. The items should not be brought one from store or storing place.
4. The bottom protection or mattress protection dari or mat should be spread first over the bed.
5. Then the mattress is spread over the bed.
6. The mattress cover is then put on the mattress.
7. The bottom sheet is spread over now with the wide hem at the top or head end.
8. The sheet is well tucked under the mattress from all sides.
9. The rubber sheet or mackintosh sheet is spread at the center & tucked on side to side.
10. At the same time the top of the draw sheet is placed 45cms from head & about 30cms is tucked under mattress on sides.
11. Now you go to the other side of the bed & fold the draw sheet back over the rubber sheet towards center of the bed.
12. The lower sheet should be made tight under head of mattress making a mitered (or square) corner & pull tightly & tuck from the top to bottom.
13. Then tighten & tuck the mackintosh from the middle then top & bottom.
14. Tighten  & tuck in the draw sheet starting at the middle.
15. Now come to the initial side of the bed where you started work first.
16. Place the top sheet evenly on the bed with wrong side of the hem up & the wide hem in the line with the head of the mattress.
17. Now bring the reminder of the sheet down to the feet end & under the mattress make a square corner & tuck in along the side.
18. The blanket is placed at the center of the bed with its top 20cms approximately from top of the mattress. The top sheet is folded back over the blanket.
19. The blanket is folded under the foot of the mattress. Make a square corner & tuck in along sides.
20. The bedspread is placed evenly with the head of the mattress. The top is folded about 20cms or less under the blanket. Now fold the top sheet down over spread & blanket & make a half mitered corner at the foot of the spread, tuck in the left over under foot of the mattress.

Posted in: Fundamental of Nursing