HOW BEDS ARE USED AT A UNIVERSITY-HOSPITAL - A STUDY OF BED AND BEDSIDE ACTIVITIES

Hospital beds have to fulfil many demands, and the features of the bed will consequently affect the comfort of both paients and staff at the ward. In the present study the use of hospital beds at Sahlgrenska Un iversity Hospital in Goteborg was investigated. The study was performe d in two somatic wards; one general surgery ward and one internal medi cine. The exact time of the observations as well as the categories of usage and activities performed on and at the bedside by the caring sta ff and the patients were registered. The study shows that there is a s ubstantial difference between the two wards. In the surgery ward, the beds ro a great extent play an active part in medical therapy and trea tment, whereas beds in the medicine ward are used for vegetative recov ery such as sleep, rest and alimentation. The personnel spent only a f ew hours with the patients, while they were in their beds, most of the caring occurring away From the bed. The results of the present study concerning how beds are utilized in modern hospital care should be con sidered when purchasing and designing hospital beds.