When you are looking for a hospital bed to buy, what do you want to see? A bed with an adjustable height, adjustable head, feet, side rails, and maybe electronic buttons can be used to operate the bed and any other nearby device. If those are the features you are looking for, you are right because those are the features of a typical hospital bed.
But here’s what I would like you to know: many beds are designed with those features, not hospital beds; one of them is an adjustable bed, but I am not here to talk about that. Instead, I will be talking about profiling beds which also have almost identical properties to the hospital bed.
In this helpful article, I will be comparing profiling beds vs hospital beds to try to checkmate the differences between the two.
Table of Contents
- What is profiling bed?
- What is the proper name for a hospital bed?
- Hospital bed vs Profiling bed
- What are the advantages of a hospital bed?
- Profiling bed benefits
- What’s the difference between an ICU bed and a regular hospital bed?
- Who needs a profiling bed?
- How often should a profiling bed be serviced?
- Is a Hospital bed a profiling bed?
- Why are profiling beds used?
- How long is a profiling bed?
What is profiling bed?
A profiling bed is a type of bed that is designed to either manually reposition patients or reposition them using the motor-driven turning and tilting technique. This adjustable bed is specially designed for medical use and is commonly used in hospitals, patient’s homes, and nursing homes.
What is the proper name for a hospital bed?
The proper name for a hospital bed is Hospital bed. But you can also call it a Hospital cot.
Hospital bed vs Profiling bed
There’s no difference between a profiling bed and a hospital bed. The main difference between them is that profiling bed is more or less a type of hospital bed, while the hospital bed is a general term used for describing beds used in the hospital. With that said, it may also help to know that the use of profiling beds is not only limited to the hospital alone.
What are the advantages of a hospital bed?
- It makes it easier for patients to reposition themselves
When you sleep on the bed for a long time in one position, you may start to develop stiffness and pains at the joint. Hospital beds allow patients to distribute their bodily weight across the body with their adjustable head and foot sections.
- It makes moving in and out of a hospital bed easier
You can either lower or raise a hospital bed to make it easier for patients to get in and out of them. For instance, the head of a hospital bed can be raised to make it less stressful for patients to sit at the bedside.
- Helpful accessories
Hospital beds make use of some configurations that cannot be seen on regular beds. For example, side rails and grab bars aid the moment of patients in and out of bed. Also, the attachment of seizure pads to the side rails to prevent injuries.
- Protection of caregivers
Although this may not have inspired the design of hospital beds, adjustable hospital beds can prevent nurses or caregivers from certain injuries like back pain while caring for patients.
Profiling bed benefits
- The lying surface of a profiling hospital bed is flexible and allows patients to raise or sit upright in bed with just the push of a button.
- Profiling beds are usually fitted with a low-voltage electronic motor that powers the bed and allows every section of the bed to be independently controlled.
- The back of a profiling bed is capable of withdrawing when raised to reduce the compression of the stomach.
- Comfort is maximized with the use of profiling hospital beds as the position adjustment of the bed is infinite.
What’s the difference between an ICU bed and a regular hospital bed?
- ICU bed is a type of bed specially designed for use in the intensive care unit of a hospital and is made to provide extra comfort for patients in their condition. A hospital bed is the type of bed you see virtually in all hospitals, which also provides some comfort to the patients.
- ICU bed is only used by patients who are in critical condition and are mostly automatic. Regular hospital beds are not used by patients in critical condition and can be either manual, semi, or electrical.
- The ICU bed is usually equipped with more accessories that will expedite the patient’s speedy recovery and make them comfortable. Regular hospital beds, although equipped with some accessories, are not to the level of ICU beds because the patient’s condition is not critical.
- ICU bed is used for patients requiring level 2 and 3 treatments, while the regular bed is used for patients requiring between levels 0 and 1 treatments.
- ICU beds are usually more expensive than regular hospital beds because they usually have extra features that can support the patient during emergencies.
- In most cases, ICU beds are controlled majorly with the use of remote control because their users are usually too weak to control them manually. Whereas the height of a regular bed must be controlled manually, which is extra work for the caregiver.
- Most ICU beds are fully electronic and depend heavily on the use of electricity to power. Regular hospital beds can either be controlled electronically or manually.
Who needs a profiling bed?
Profiling beds are mainly used by patients suffering from disabilities, people with mobility problems, and the elderly. This type of bed is ideal for the people mentioned above because it will allow them to adjust the back and rest sections for support and comfort.
How often should a profiling bed be serviced?
For your profiling bed to keep working optimally, it is best to have a professional service them for you at least once in 12 months.
Is a Hospital bed a profiling bed?
No, a hospital bed is not a profiling bed because lots more bed types are used in the hospital. But a profiling bed is a hospital bed because you will find it in medical facilities, and it is also considered an ideal hospital bed for home use.
Why are profiling beds used?
Profiling beds are used because of the following reasons;
- They offer users independence.
- It provides support and comfort to users.
- It improves the patient’s mobility and makes it easier for patients to transfer.
How long is a profiling bed?
The standard length of a profiling bed is 6’6”.