Patient and his bed : Open Bed in Hospital

Open Bed

          Assist the patient out of bed as necessary and offer chair to sit.

          Remove any equipment attached to the bed linen.

Adjust the bed in flat position to a comfortable height to prevent straining your back.

            Strip the bed clothes, fold them one by one and place on the back of a chair, incase to be reused. Remove the mattress cover and bed cover, fold and keep them also

            Dust the bed with damp duster and mattress with dry duster. Turn the mattress

            Spread the bed cover on the bedsprings to protect the under surface of the mattress. Put on the mattress cover, if it is loose the excess can be tucked under the mattress. Pull the mattress to the top.

            Place the bottom sheet at the foot of bed, seam side down with the lower hem even with the edge of the mattress and the centerfold on the center of the bed. Then, unfold the upper layer onto the head of bed.

            Tuck in excess sheet at the head of the bed

            Miter the corner as below at the head end of bed, making smooth and neat corner.

            Pick up the side edge of the sheet, so that the sheet forms a triangle with the head of bed and the side edge perpendicular to the bed.

            Hold the sheet against the side of mattress using the palm of your hand and tuck the excess sheet under the mattress.

            Drop the sheet from your top hand to the side of mattress.

           Miter the corner as above at the foot end of bed.

           Tuck the sheet under the mattress from head to foot of bed on one side.

          Place a protective sheet and drawsheet in the middle of the bed with the centerfold on the center of bed and unfold. Then tuck in on one side.

            Place the top sheet at the head of bed, seam side up with the top hem even with the head of mattress and the centerfold on the center of bed, then unfold the upper layer on to the foot

of the bed.

          In winter, placed the blanket and bedspread over the top sheet as under.

            Place the blanket over the top sheet, at the head of bed, about 6-8 inches below the top sheet with the centerfold of the blanket on the center of bed. Unfold the blanket on the center of bed. Then unfold the upper layer onto the foot of the bed.

            Place the bedspread on the blanket

           Make a vertical or horizontal toe pleat as under while tucking the top bedclothes at the foot of the bed.

            Vertical pleat-Fold a six inches pleat lengthwise in the top clothes from the center to the foot end, at the center of mattress.

            Horizontal pleat-Fold a two inches pleat across the top clothes at the center of foot of the mattress.

          Tuck in the excess sheet, blanket and bedspread together at the foot of the bed.

          Miter the corner of top clothes at the foot of bed as in step i allowing the top linen to hang over the side of the bed.

         Repeat the procedure on the opposite side, if you do not have other nurse to help you on the other side. Pull the linen tight and smooth out any wrinkles.

         Fold back the top sheet at the head of the bed to the shoulder height. If blanket and bedspread are used, fold back the top sheet over the edge of blanket and bedspread.

           Put a clean pillow cover on pillow and place the pillow at the center of the head of bed, with open end of the cover away from the door of the room.

          Fanfold the top clothes toward the foot of the bed or pie fold them as under for easy entering.

            Fanfold Fold the half of the top clothes toward the foot

of the bed which is further folded into 2-3 accordianpleats so that the top clothes are at the foot end of the bed.

            Pie fold Place one finger at the center of the top clothes facing the head of bed. Lift the edge of the top clothes and fold it back toward the center of the bed, making a triangle.