ABSTRACT
Bedrails are designed to prevent users inadvertently falling from their bed but accident history shows that they sometimes can fail to do this. They have also been the cause of user entrapment (where a patient’s neck, chest or limbs become trapped within the bedrail or between the bedrail, bed or mattress), which can have fatal consequences. An individual case study cited by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA, 2007) suggests that a patient can move from the centre of the bed into a trapped position in less than two minutes and asphyxiate within 14 minutes. Bedrails are not suitable for all patients/service users who are at risk of inadvertent falls from bed. Assessment of the individual by a competent member of staff is required to determine the risks and appropriate control measures before selecting bedrails. If bedrails have been chosen as a control measure to prevent falls from bed (rather than other control measures, such as extra low beds) then duty holders need to manage their installation and use effectively.
