Bed Rails in ICU

09/11/04

Dear Colleague,
our ICU is working on reviewing the policy on
physical restraints and as a result the use of restraints and bedrails
is also being addressed. There is controversy about the effectiveness of
using bedrails to prevent fall injuries (at least in mobile or semi
mobile people). There is also the issue of confinement that many people
experience when bedrails are up. If anyone has conducted an
investigation about bedrails I would be grateful for any information.
Secondly please could you let me know the 'default setting' of the
bedrails used in your hospital or/and unit ie up or down?
Kind regards

Clinical Nurse Consultant
Intensive Care Unit
Tertiary Referral Metropolitan

09/11/04

default is up

Director of Intensive Care (Acting)
Intensive Care Unit
Level 5 Greater metropolitan

09/11/04

Bedrails up at our ICU. For patients who have a high risk of falls (there is a tool to measure) the Neurosurgical ward has a four bed room where patients are managed (those that bedrails create a greater hazard) and there is an AIN employed to be in the room at all times. This has apparently reduced falls considerably. For further information, our Neursurgical Nurse Case

Our ICU has a 'new' restraint guideline and a falls risk assessment tool:

Falls Prevent_Assess_ICU

Clinical Nurse Consultant 2
Intensive Care Unit
Tertiary Referral Metropolitan

12/11/01

At XX the default position of bedrails is up,
CNS
Intensive Care Unit 3
Tertiary Referral Metropolitan