BED MAKING

Is a nursing procedure of preparing wrinkle free hospital beds to meet specific needs of the patient

PURPOSE:

- to provide clean and comfortable place for the client to rest

- to prevent skin irritation with smooth wrinkle free bedding

- to reduce client effort by making the bed with minimal movement of the client

- to dispose soiled linens properly to avoid cross-contamination

- to align the client correctly for safety and comfort

- and to protect the nurses back and limbs during bed making

EQUIPMENT:

 Chair or Table  Cloth Sheet

 Linen Hamper  Top Sheet
Linens (in order of use):  Blanket
 Bath Blanket  Pillowcase
 Bottom Sheet  Clean Pillowcases
 Rubber Sheet  Clean Gloves, as needed

MAKING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

Procedure Rationale

To confirm if it is possible to move the client out of

1. Check the activity order of the client.
the bed.

2. Wash Hands For infection control

3. Gather linens to be used and arrange according
To be systematic and save time and effort
to use.
4. Raise the bed to a comfortable working height To avoid muscle strain and injury to the health
position. care provider
5. Remove items to be reused, fold and place them
across the backrest of a chair and Do not shake To reduce the spread of microorganisms.
linens.
6. Loosen the top and bottom of the linen of the
mattress. Start from the head to the foot on one To conserve frequency of walking around the bed
side and from foot to head on the opposite side.
7. Fold soiled linens towards the middle of the bed
To prevent contaminating your uniform from the
and place in hamper. Keep the soiled linen away
dirty or soiled linen.
from your uniform.
8. Place bottom sheet on the bed, starting at the
To ensure that the client is touching the
foot, ensuring the seamed side of the bottom edge
smooth side
is facing down.
9. Moving to the head of the bed on the same side,
Because mitering the corner firmly will anchor the
fold the sheet under the mattress and miter the
sheets on the mattress.
corner. Tuck hanging edge of the sheet.

FOLDING A MITERED CORNER

Procedure
10. Tuck sheet tightly and smoothly under mattress, on top or bottom of the bed depending on where
mitered corner is needed.
11. Grasp edge of sheet with hand and bring sheet onto mattress so that the edge forms a right angle.
12. Tuck lower edge of sheet under mattress.
13. Place finger on sheet where it meets mattress and lower top of sheet over finger.
14. Remove finger without disturbing folds.
15. Tuck sheet securely under mattress.

16. Place rubber sheet about 12-15inches from the Use only on client with incontinence and bleeding
head of the mattress. Tuck smoothly
To avoid skin irritations from the rubber sheet
17. Cover rubber sheet with cloth sheet. It should
be about 2-3 inches higher that the rubber sheet.
Tuck smoothly and tightly.
18. From the same side of the bed, spread top To ensure that the smooth side of the top sheet is
sheet with the seamed side up and the center in contact with the client skin
crease in the middle of the bed. Tuck at the
bottom and miter the corner.
19. Walk around the other side of the bed and Again, to ensure that the smooth side of the top
make the second side in the same manner. sheet is in contact with the client skin
20. Fold the top sheet over six inches at the head Fan folding sheet is out of client when the client
of the bed and fanfold mounts the bed yet this is easily pulled out.
21. Insert clean pillow case by grasping the clean The clean pillow case must not touch the care
end, turning the pillow case inside out and pulling provider’s uniform to decrease the transfer of
it over the pillow. microorganisms
22. Place pillow facing away from the door. For aesthetic purposes

CHANGING A PILLOWCASE

[Link] hands
24. Pick up center of closed end pillowcase
25. Continue to firmly grip end of pillowcase; then with other hand, gather pillowcase from open end
and fold back (inside-out) over closed end.
26. Pick up center of one end of pillow with the hand holding the gathered pillowcase.
27. Pull pillowcase over pillow with other hand. Do not place pillow or case under arm, chin, or in teeth.

MAKING AN OCCUPIED BED

1. Check the client’s activity order. > To make sure that the client must stay
in bed to determine which items will be
needed to complete the bed making
procedure.
2. Check required linen on bed > To determine which items will be
needed to complete the bed making
procedure.
3. Explain the procedure and provide privacy. > To gain client’s cooperation.

4. Raise the bed to an appropriate working height position >To prevent muscle strain and injury to
the health care provider

5. Lower the side rail on the nearside of the bed leaving the
opposite side rail raised up. > To prevent accident

6. Turn the client on his/ her side facing away from you. > To give enough space to make one side
of the bed first
7. Loosen linens and fanfold each piece toward the center > To make it easier to reach and
of the bed. maneuver

8. Place the bottom sheet at the foot part of the bed. > To be able to identify the center fold of
the sheet.

9. Moving to the head of the bed, fold the sheet under the > To prevent loosening of the linen and
mattress and miter the corner and tuck hanging edge free from wrinkles.
> To prevent spread of microorganisms.

FOLDING A MITERED CORNER

Procedure
10. Tuck sheet tightly and smoothly under mattress on top or bottom of the bed depending on where
mitered corner is needed.
11. Grasp edge of sheet with hand and bring sheet onto mattress so that edge forms a right angle.
12. Tuck lower edge of sheet under mattress.
13. Place finger on sheet where it meets mattress and lower top of sheet over finger.
14. Remove finger without disturbing folds.
15. Tuck sheet securely under mattress.

CHANGING A PILLOWCASE

[Link] hands
24. Pick up center of closed end pillowcase
25. Continue to firmly grip end of pillowcase; then with other hand gather pillowcase from open end and
fold back (inside-out) over closed end.
26. Pick up center of one end of pillow with the hand holding the gathered pillowcase.
27. Pull pillowcase over pillow with other hand. Do not place pillow or case under arm, chin, or in teeth.

16. Fold draw sheet in half, identify its center and place > To protect linen from blood, discharge
close to the client. Tuck the sheet snuggly and smoothly or any fluid.
under the mattress
17. Logroll the client nearest you, by helping client to roll > This will permit the care provider to
over the folded linen in to clean linen. Raise the side rail make the second side of the bed.
facing the client. > To provide safety to the client.

18. Move to the other side of the bed, loosen and remove > To prevent spread of microorganisms.
soiled linens and place them in a laundry hamper keeping
away from touching your uniform.

19. Spread clean fan folded bottom sheet, draw sheet and > To make the bed wrinkle-free as
pull tightly to tuck under the mattress possible to protect the client’s skin.

20. Place the top sheet over the client with the center in the > To provide privacy and warmth for the
middle unfolded then remove both blankets. client.
21. Tuck the top sheet under the foot of the mattress. Miter > To ensure that the smooth side of the
the corner. Loosen cover slightly at the foot of the bed. top sheet is in contact with the client’s
skin.

22. Remove the soiled pillowcase and put a clean one > The clean pillow case must not touch
the care provider’s uniform to decrease
the transfer of microorganisms.