Bed Rails

To provide underpinning knowledge associated with best practice for the safe use of bed rails in care settings and to raise awareness of the consequences of inappropriate bed rail use.

To promote the safety and well-being of all clients who require bed rails to keep them safe.

DESCRIPTION

By the end of the course, candidates will be able to:

• Describe the risks and benefits of bed rail use
• List the types of injuries that clients can incur from bed rails
• Understand the need to manage health and safety risk
• Identify and discuss the range of available equipment
• Identify which clients are more likely to be at risk
• Explain what the term ‘entrapment’ means
• Identify when bed rails should and shouldn’t be used
• Discuss who is responsible for the regulation of bed rails
• Identify other options to be considered or tried before using bed rails
• Identify the elements of a bed rail risk assessment
• Describe the standards by which bed rails must comply
• Identify important elements for the safe maintenance and use of bed rails

Assessment

Learners will be assessed by –

• Ability to answer questions during course
• Discussion following feedback from activities

Course content

• Introduction
• Potential outcomes of injury
• Bed rail risks
• Clients at greater risk
• Entrapment
• Care home deaths
• Types of bed rails
• Purpose of bed rails
• Bed grab handles
• Bed rail regulation
• CQC involvement
• Adverse incidents
• Using bed rails safely
• Alternatives to bed rails
• When to use bed rails
• Causes of incidents
• Risk assessments
• What to avoid
• British Standards for bed rails
• Special considerations
• Monitoring bed rails
• Maintenance
• Employee responsibilities
• Safety during bed rail use