Purchasing a regular bed for home use is much easier than getting a hospital bed: there are no set standards as to the size or the particular features the bed must have. Hence, the purchasing decision is usually less complicated. On the other end, before you can get a hospital bed, you must be thorough in your search for an ideal one.
This is because, unlike regular beds, hospital beds have set standards that determine the size or features the bed must have: the standard size of a hospital bed is twin size and must be adjustable. Those are the two significant characteristics of a typical hospital bed.
These set standards often cause people to wonder, do hospital beds have a weight limit? This helpful article provides insight into whether the standard size of a hospital bed has any implication on the weight it can hold.
Table of Contents
- Are there weight limits for hospital beds?
- What is the weight limit for a standard hospital bed?
- What type of bed would be most suitable for obese patients?
- Bariatric bed weight limit
- Stryker hospital bed weight limit
- Hill-rom hospital bed weight limit
- Are hospital bed weights accurate?
- Do hospital beds weigh you?
- How to weigh patients on hospital beds
- Invacare hospital bed weight limit
- NHS hospital bed weight limit
- Semi-electric hospital bed weight limit
Are there weight limits for hospital beds?
Yes, hospital beds have a weight limit. Hospitals have what is called a safe working load which is the maximum load a typical hospital bed is allowed to carry. The load here includes the patient’s weight, bedding, mattress, and other accessories on the hospital bed. However, this limit may differ from hospital to hospital based on the bed type that is used.
What is the weight limit for a standard hospital bed?
The standard weight that can be placed on a typical hospital bed is 220kg.
What type of bed would be most suitable for obese patients?
Speaking of the weight limit, obese patients are a cause of concern because the standard hospital bed will not hold their weight hence the need for the design of a specialized bed known as a bariatric bed. A bariatric bed is a heavyweight bed that is about 54 inches wide and 88 inches long.
Bariatric bed weight limit
Bariatric beds are specially designed for heavy people, and that is why they are usually built with strong and sturdy bed frames to be able to withstand their weight. Bariatric beds can hold the weight of a patient who has a body weight of about 1000 lbs.
Stryker hospital bed weight limit
Stryker is not as strong as Bariatric beds, but they can hold more weight than an average hospital bed. A Stryker hospital bed can hold up to 228kg weight.
Hill-rom hospital bed weight limit
Hill-rom bed is designed for low and medium-weight patients and, therefore, not suitable for heavy loads. Therefore, they are not as strong as Stryker or Bariatric or the standard hospital beds. Hill-rom hospital beds are designed to hold patients’ weights of about 159kg.
Are hospital bed weights accurate?
No, hospital bed weights don’t give accurate measurements. Usually, the recommended standard measurement for hospital bed scales is 1 pound to 150 pounds of weight. But recently, it was discovered that in some hospitals, the measurement is 3.8 to 250 pounds of weight and, in some cases, 1.3 pounds to 100 pounds of weight.
Although most experts have linked the inconsistencies in these measurements to the fluctuations in the weights of patients, because of the increases in the weights of patients bring about a reduction in the level of accuracy of the scales.
Do hospital beds weigh you?
Yes, hospital beds weigh patients. Hospital beds are usually fitted with evenly sized specialized weighing scales that are often installed at each leg of the hospital bed. This specialized scale will be used to weigh patients when they first arrive at the hospital and will be used continuously to weigh them if their condition warrants that they stay in bed without movement for a long time.
How to weigh patients on hospital beds
- Zero the bed scale : Zeroing the bed scale will allow you to accurately weigh the patient and also to ensure that the bed exit feature is working correctly. Zero the scale only when there’s no other item on the bed except the bedding. After enduring that, then you can now proceed to the steps below.
- Press the key button on the control panel of the bed to help you unlock the bed’s specific features and activate them for 60 seconds.
- Press and hold the zero button until the screen displays 00.0. Afterwards, wait until 0.0 displays on the screen (it will come on after displaying CALC).
- Place the patient in the bed, making sure they are laying at the centre of the bed. Do not worry about the bed positioning; it wouldn’t affect the accuracy of the bed.
- Press the weigh button to give you the exact weight of the patient.
- The weight will display on the screen for at least 15 seconds and will first of all appear in pounds before it will be converted into kilograms.
Warning!
When during the weighing process, do not put any objects or try to lean your body on the bed; it will not get an accurate measurement.
Invacare hospital bed weight limit
Invacare hospital beds can also hold a patient of about 159kg, just like the Hill-rom hospital bed.
NHS hospital bed weight limit
NHS hospital bed is a standard hospital bed, and it can hold the same weight as every other standard bed. The weight limit of NHS beds ranges between 300 to 450 pounds.
Semi-electric hospital bed weight limit
The weight limit of semi-electric hospital beds varies as it is a general term for different hospital bed models. Notwithstanding, an average hospital bed can hold up to 450 lbs weight.