Bed Making is super important in nursing and nurses to do in a healthcare facility, and most of you already know why. But still, if you aren’t familiar with how many types of bed-making procedures there are, what principles or basics that nurses follow when making these beds, and why there is even a need for bed-making, then just keep on reading. Here, we are about to dive deeper into this topic of bed-making in nursing, so, let’s just get to it, shall we?

Types of Bed Making in Nursing

• Closed Bed: This is the kind of bed that is completely made up and is ready to take in a newly admitted patient. The sheets are tucked in tightly, and nobody is using it at the time. It’s like preparing a bed in a hotel before a guest arrives, you know?
• Open Bed: This bed is made for a patient who either comes for the first time or is already in the hospital but can be moved from one room to another. With this one, the top sheet is folded down so the patient can easily get in.
• Occupied Bed: And see, when a patient is too sick or unable to leave the bed, the nurse has to take care of it while the patient is inside. To do this, a nurse who knows how to lift and move should shift the patient properly to the other side so the bedding can be changed.
• Cardiac Bed: This type of bed is particularly made for patients suffering from heart issues, you know? Just so you know, it offers the possibility for the patient to remain seated upright thus it lowers the pressure on the heart and also makes it much easier to breathe. The bed is adjusted so that the patient feels fine and at the same time is not subjected to excessive pressure on the body.
• Fracture Bed: This kind of bed is made for patients with fractures in their limbs or spine, as the name suggests. With this one, any involuntary or unnecessary movement is prevented, thus, it contributes to the healing process.
• Amputation Bed: This bed is mainly for patients who have gone through amputation surgery, like, this bed is made by means that prevent any pressure on the wound such as keeping the sheets away from the cut.
• Post-Operative Bed: An example of a recovery bed is a bed that is used by patients who have just undergone surgery. Its construction is such that the recovering individual can enjoy some relaxation while being in the state of anesthesia or surgery.
• Blanket Bed: The blanket bed is a bed used by patients who have certain medical requirements, such as those with kidney diseases. A blanket bed will make them sweat more as the treatments remove excess waste via the skin, which is often the case with certain treatments.

Principles of Bed Making

What are these specific things that nurses tend to consider the most when making a bed in a healthcare facility? Let’s find that out:

• Preserving Hygiene: To an extreme extent, cleanliness is the order of the day, you know? Therefore, before and after making a bed, nurses practice the habit of washing their hands in order to stop the transmission of germs. Simultaneously, they ensure that the bed the patient is going to be lying on contains clean sheets and they do not mix dirty sheets with it.
• Positioning and Alignment: The bed must be made perfectly as creases can lead to discomfort and the development of pressure sores on the patient’s skin, which is absolutely true. The decent smoothing and the firm wrapping of sheets and blankets would ensure that everything stays put, thus preventing the patient from getting cold or feeling uncomfortable.
• Patient Comfort and Safety: As you may already know, when making the bed, nurses use pillows and other devices to support the patient’s body. The nurses also ensure that the bed is not too high or low and that the patient will not fall out accidentally. For patients who need assistance with mobility, side rails may be used to prevent falls.
• Effectiveness: Effectiveness is the main one when making any type of bed in nursing. Like, the nurses gather all the necessary and adequate resources before starting the bed-making process which they do. For example, they finish one side of the bed before turning to the other, thus cutting out unnecessary steps.

Purpose of Bed Making

Alright, you got to know about different types of bed makings, the things that nurses follow when making a particular type of bed, but that might make you wonder: why is there even a need for bed making in nursing? Here’s why:

• Comfort: Making a bed properly helps in better comfort of the patient which is the priority factor of the recovery. This way, the irritation is eliminated because the surface is smooth, and the use of pillows gives support for resting, especially for patients who are immobile or in pain.
• Prevention of Complications: Making the bed properly makes it a super comfortable area which is the first step in the prevention of pressure sores and other serious skin injuries that could happen due to crumpled sheets or dirty sheets. Working in the correct position also prevents foot drop or any other complications.
• Hygiene and Infection Control: As we already mentioned, the presence of clean sheets also assists in avoiding the mechanism of infection such as germs, bacteria, and liquids. The careful handling and proper disposal of contaminated linens are well known to prevent the spread of infection-causing microorganisms.
• Aesthetic and Psychological Impact: And just so you know, a neat, well-arranged bed positively affects the patient’s mood, making them feel lighter and more at ease. It also promotes better sleep, hence a decrease in anxiety during hospitalization.

Conclusion

That’s all there is for now. We hope that we made you familiar with a lot of different things about bed making in nursing, which you probably didn’t know about before, correct? And with that, now you are well aware of why there is even a need for bed making in healthcare facilities, and what is the priority of nurses when making specific beds for patients.