Jf. Todd et al., INJURY AND DEATH ASSOCIATED WITH HOSPITAL BED SIDE-RAILS - REPORTS TOUS FOOD-AND-DRUG-ADMINISTRATION FROM 1985 TO 1995, American journal of public health, 87(10), 1997, pp. 1675-1677
Objectives. Hospital bed side-rails, while intended for patient protec
tion, can contribute to injury and death. Reports to the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) of hospital bed side-rail entrapment have increa
sed. In this paper entrapment cases are reviewed and the population po
tentially at risk identified. Methods. FDA's database was searched for
events involving hospital beds from January 1985 to August 1995 and e
ntrapment cases were identified. Results. Of 111 entrapments, 65% were
associated with death and 23% with injury. Conclusions. Advanced age,
female sex, low body weight, and cognitive impairment may be associat
ed with increased risk. Preventive measures are detailed.