By Zeenat Sheikh, July 9 2015

The hospital bed is likely to be the one piece of medical equipment the patient or resident spends most time in contact with so it is essential that the choice of medical bed is made carefully.

The right bed will provide a safe environment for the patient, help improve efficiency and help reduce the risk of injuries to caregivers.

The following points should be kept in mind when choosing a bed:

• Is it easy to clean, maintain and service? In environments with a high turnover of patients or with residents who spend a lot of time in bed this is especially important
• Does it have the necessary functions? Four-section profiling beds with knee raise provide a better supported sitting position with less abdominal compression
• Is it simple and intuitive for patients and caregivers to use? It is only worth having a bed with useful functions if they can be easily used
• Is there enough clearance under the bed to allow access to mobile lifters and bedside tables? This helps reduce the amount of space required by the bedside
• Can the bed be used with electric pressure redistribution mattresses? Often the mattress pumps are suspended from the footboard so this must also be considered