AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

2007 AFH "Dear Provider" Letters

July 17, 2007

ADSA: AFH #2007-005
ENTRAPMENT IN BED RAILS AND TRANSFER AIDS

Dear Adult Family Home Provider:

It was recently brought to my attention that the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an article entitled: “Hospital Bed System Dimensional and Assessment Guidance to Reduce Entrapment”. The FDA provides expanded guidance on the risks for residents to be trapped in bed rails and transfer aids when they are used.

Here are a few highlights:

• The FDA views a home bed and medical bed as the same. The term “hospital bed” is used to mean a bed used in any long-term care setting. Guidance applies to all bed rails.
• The FDA has also received reports of residents being trapped between a wall and the side of a mattress. When providers push beds against the walls, some research literature has considered this like a physical restraint.
• Three important body parts at risk for trapping residents when bed rails and transfer aids are used are the head, neck and chest.
• The article provides guidance on how to lower residents’ risk of being trapped when bed rails and transfer aids are used.
• In order to reduce the risk for residents to be trapped in bed rails and transfer aids, many factors need to be considered including bed design, assessment and monitoring, and meeting patient, resident and family needs.

The FDA article does not establish requirements but instead offers recommendations. It is always important to evaluate and assess for the safety of each resident and recognize the risk for residents to be trapped in bed rails and transfer aids if they are used. Please see the attached link for the article: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/beds/guidance/1537.html

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your local RCS Field Manager.

Sincerely,

Joyce Pashley Stockwell, Director
Residential Care Services