Comfort promotion: Bedmaking

Bed-making is important for maintaining proper hygiene and the comfort for the clients. It is usually done in the morning before visiting hours or while the client is dressing or bathing.

In hospitals, bed linens are changed daily, while in a long-term care setting, it might be less frequent. However, there are also situations when linens should be changed straight away.

These include excessive wrinkling and soiling by spilled food and drinks, sweating, urine, feces, vomit, wound drainage, and feeding tube leakage.

Before we talk about bed-making, it’s important to know the different status of beds. Closed beds are not currently being used.

They are either waiting for a new client to arrive or there’s already a client assigned to it, but they'll be out of the bed for a while.

An open bed is a bed currently in use or one that’s prepared for a client who’ll be occupying it soon.

So it might be for a new client who's on their way or a current client who’s expected to return shortly, like from a diagnostic test or a bath.

Next, a surgical bed is an open bed that’s prepared for a client who will require a stretcher to be moved to the bed. This could be someone who just had surgery or had an injury that requires them to be carried.

Finally, occupied beds are beds with individuals who are unable to leave the bed. Now, before we get into the procedures, there are some general considerations for you to follow when making a bed.

Wash your hands before collecting clean linens. Always take exactly what you need. Never bring extra linens into the clients’ room because, once in the clients’ room, linens are considered contaminated and cannot be used for another client.

When placing clean linens, they should be centered and placed so that the stitching is facing the mattress and make sure there are no wrinkles. Practice infection control when handling linens.

Hold them away from your body, so they don’t touch your uniform and don’t let them come in contact with dirty surfaces.

Don’t shake linens as it can spread microbes. Now, when removing used linens, remember to wear gloves.

Remove linens one piece at a time by rolling them away from you and towards the center of the mattress. Place used linens in the designated receptacle.

If any substances or body fluids leak onto the mattress or the bed frame, wipe them with a cleaning solution.

If you have come into contact with substances or body fluids, be sure to change your gloves and perform hand hygiene.

Before we get to making the bed, you will have to learn how to make a mitered corner which is used to anchor linens to the head or the foot of the bed.

For a flat bottom sheet, make mitered corners at the head of the bed. First tuck the top of the sheet under the head of the mattress.

Take the end of the sheet at about 12 inches from the head of the bed and lift it up to make a triangle.

Lay the triangle on the bed and smooth and tuck the hanging part of the sheet under the mattress.

Bring the triangle back down and leave the sides of the sheet hanging loose. For the top sheet, blanket, and bedspread, make mitered corners in the same way but at the foot of the bed.

Now, we can start making beds. To make an unoccupied bed you’ll need: bottom sheet, draw sheet if needed, bed protector if needed, top sheet, blanket, bedspread, and a pillowcase.

First, lay the linens on a clean surface. Raise the bed to a height that’s comfortable to work with. Lock the wheels and lower the bed rails.

Move the mattress to the proper position and place the bottom sheet over the mattress. Unfold it so the vertical crease remains visible which will help you center it.

Now unfold the sheet over the bed so that the same length hangs over both sides of the bed. First tuck in the part at the head of the mattress.

Then make a mitered corner and tuck in the sheet under the mattress on your side, starting from the head and working to the foot of the bed.

Place a draw sheet on top. Now tuck in the bottom sheet on the other side in the same way. Next, unfold the top sheet on the bed just like you did the bottom sheet.

Make sure the same length hangs over each side of the bed. Pull the top sheet down at the foot of the bed but don’t tuck it in.