BED MAKING
BED MAKING
 is the techniques of preparing different
types of bed in making a patients/clients
comfortable or his/her position suitable
for a particular condition.
GUIDELINES IN BED-MAKING
Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling
a client's bed linen.
 Linens and equipment that have been
soiled with secretions harbor
microorganisms that can be transmitted to
others directly or by the nurse's hands or
uniform.
 Hold soiled linen away from uniform
 Linẹn for one client is never (even
momentarily) placed on another client's
bed.
 Place soiled linen directly in a portable
linen hamper or tucked into a pillow case
at the end of the bed before it is gathered
up for disposal/laundry.
 Do not shake soiled linen in the air
because shaking can disseminate
ecretions and the microorganisms they
contain
 When stripping and making a bed,
conserve time and energy by stripping
and making up one side as much as
possible before working on the other
side,
 To avoid unnecessary trips to the linen
supply area, gather all liner before
starting to strip a bed.
PURPOSES OF BED MAKING
1. To provide a smooth, wrinkle-free bed
foundation, thus minimizing sources of
skin irritation
2. To provide the client with a safe &
comfortable bed to take rest & sleep.
3. To adapt to the needs of the client and to
be ready for any emergency or critical
condition of illness.
4. To economize time, material & effort.
INFECTION CONTROL
 Important to limit movement of
organisms and spread of infection while
in bed
 Roll the dirty or soiled linen while
removing it from bed
 Hold dirty linen away from your body
 Place dirty linen in hamper/cart/bag
immediately
 Never place linen on the floor
 Wash your hands after handling dirty
linen
 Never bring extra linen into a patients
room
 Linen is considered contaminated once it
is in a room and cannot be used for
another person
 Avoid shaking clean sheets to place them
on the bed
 Unfold them gently to inhibit the flow of
microorganisms
 Place the open end of pillowcase away
from the door
 This looks neater and also helps prevent
the entrance of organisms from the hall
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTION
 Observe universal precautions if linen is
contaminated by blood or body fluids
 Wash hands frequently and wear gloves
while handling linen
 Follow agency policy for proper disposal
of liner
PRINCIPLE 1
 Micro organisms are found everywhere
on the skin, on the articles used by the
client and in the environment.
 The nurse takes care to prevent the
transference of micro organisms from the
source to the new host by direct or
indirect contact or prevent the
multiplication of the microorganisms
 The nurse washes her hands before and
after bed making to protec the client and
herself from cross infection.
 When changing bed linen, follow
principles of medical asepsis by keeping
soiled linen away from the uniform.
 Place soiled linen in special linen bags
before placing in a hamper.
 To avoid air currents that spread
microorganisms, never shake the linen.

 To avoid transmitting infection, do not
place soiled linen on the floor. If clean
linen touches the floor or any unclean
surface, immediately place it in the dirty
linen container.
 The nurse keeps a reasonable distance
from the client's face to prevent droplet
infection.
 Cleaning an area where there are less
number of organisms before cleaning an
area where there are numerous organisms
minimizes the spread of organism to the
clean area. Eg. Clean the bed first before
cleaning the bedside locker.
 The linen removed from the isolation unit
is disinfected first before they are sent to
laundry.
PRINCIPLE 2
 A safe and comfortable bed will ensure
rest, sleep and prevent several
complications in bedridden patients. E.g.
bedsore, foot drop etc.
 The body exerts uneven pressure against
the mattress, the pressure is greatest over
the bony prominences. Lumps and
creases in the bed can cause bedsores due
to friction between the bed and mattress
or wrinkled sheets. Therefore the nurses
should take care to make the bed smooth
and unwrinkled
 Pull the bottom sheet tightly so that there
is no wrinkles
 Keep the linen tucked far enough under
the mattress, keep it fixed, tight and
smooth
 While tightening the sheets, do not alter
the shape of the mattress.
 No wet linen should remain on the bed.
 A bed made for a client should allow
enough freedom for moving rom side to
side. The movement of the client
stimulates circulation prevent bed sores
and maintains muscle tone. Comfort
devices are used to provide additional
comfort to the client
 If the client is in bed for longer time ,
tight upper bedding may cause foot drop.
It can be prevented by making a pleat in
the top sheet and blanket across the foot
of the bed.
BED MAKING
 While tucking the upper bedding, ask the
client to flex his knees
 Place a pillow, foot board or cradle at the
foot of the bed to take the weight of the
upper bedding
PRINCIPLE 3
 Good body mechanisms maintain the
body alignment and prevents fatigue
 During bed making use safe patient
handling procedures and prope body
mechanics
 The stability of the body is assured by
keeping its center of gravit over its base.
When the base is wide it ensures that the
center of gravity willfallthrough its base.
In standing position the nurse can have a
wide base by separating her feet.
 The nearer to center of gravity a weight is
held, the less is the strain produced. Eg.
When opening the linen it should be
placed on the edge of the bed rather than
holding it above the shoulder level.
 When tucking the sheets under the
mattress, flexing is done by knees and
hips. This position shifts the work to the
long and strong muscles of the thighs and
keep the back in good alignment. This
reduces strain on the face back.
 When the placing direction the of linen
WOrK on and the bed move and with
tucking the work them rather under than
the twisting mattress the body and over
reaching.
 Always raise the bed to the appropriate
height before changing linen SO you do
not have to bend or stretch over the
mattress. You move back and forth to
opposite sides of the bed while applying
new linen.
 Body mechanics and safe handling are
important when turning or repositioning
the patient in bed.
PRINCIPLE 4
 Systematic ways of functioning saves
time, energy and materials.
 When patients are confined to bed,
organize bed-making activities to
conserve time and energy.

 Assemble all articles and arrange them
conveniently before starting the bed
making
 Arrange the linen in the reverse order of
use.
 Finish on one side of the bed before
going to the opposite side
 When stripping the bed, remove the bed
linen on by one holding the open end and
check for the client's possessions and the
hospital articles so that they are nkt send
to the laundry
 The patient's privacy, comfort, and safety
are all important whenmaking a bed.
 Using side rails to aid positioning and
turning keeping callights within the
patient's reach and maintaining the proper
bed position help promote comfort and:
safety.
 After making a bed, return it to the
lowest horizontal position and verify that
the wheels are locked to prevent
accidental falls when the patient gets in
and out alone
 When possible, make the bed while it is
unoccupied. Use judgment to determine
the best time for the patient to sit up in a
chair so you can make the bed.
RULES FOR BEDMAKING
 Use good body mechanics at all times
 Follow standard precautions
 Always wash your hands before handling
clean linen and after handling dirty linen
 Bring enough linen into the person's
room.
 Always keep clean linen covered
 Never shake linens.
 Do not take linen from one person's room
to use on another person.
 Hold linens away from your uniform
 Never put dirty linens on the floor or on
top of clean linen!!!
 Roll dirty linen away from your body
when removing it from the bed.
 The bottom linens must be tightly tucked
without wrinkles.
 A cotton draw sheet must completely
cover the plastic draw sheet/rubber sheet.
BED MAKING
 Straighten and tighten loose linen
whenever necessary
 Make one side of the bed completely
before going to the other side
 The large hem goes to the top of the bed
 Wash hand before & after the procedure
 Don't expose the client unnecessarily.
 Don't cover the client's face while placing
the linen.
 Don't mix clean linen with soiled linen.
 Do not let the linen touch your body or
uniform
 Keep a reasonable distance from the face
of the client to prevent cross infection.
TYPES OF BED
1. Occupied bed
2. Unoccupied bed
3. Surgical bed
OPEN BED
 To keep the bed ready for occupancy.
 To provide a neat and tidy appearance to
the unit
 Fanfold top sheets to foot of bed to
convert closed bed to open bed
 Fanfold means to fold sheets like
accordian pleats
 Done to welcome a new patient or for
patients who are ambulatory or out-of-
bed
 The open bed is when top linens are fan-
folded back so the person can get into
bed. This is used for:
 Newly admitted persons arriving by
wheelchair
 Persons who are getting ready for bed
 Persons who are out of bed for a short
time
CLOSED BED
 Made following discharge of patient
 Purpose is to keep bed clean until new
patient admitted
OCCUPIED BEDMAKING
 used when the client is not allowed out of
bed.
 BED MAKING
 Usually done after the morning bath MITERED CORNER
 PURPOSES:
1. To make a bed with least possible
discomfort to the patient.
2. To handle the bed clothes skillfully while
the patient is on bed, giving least
disturbance to the occupant.
3. To provide a neat, clean and tidy
appearance

UNOCCUPIED BEDMAKING
 The patient is not on the bed
 Used when the client is able to get out of
bed

SURGICAL BEDM&KING
 1 bed prepared for a patient who is
returning to the unit after surgery. Remember!
 The bed is left at a stretcher height, the
 Center fold of the linen
covers are fan folded to the far side.
 BOTTOM SHEET -unfold starting at the
foot part, tuck at the head part then
THINGS TO PREPARE MITER
 Bottom sheet  TOP SHEET - unfold starting at the head
 Rubber sheet part of the bed then tuck
 Draw sheet
 Top sheet
 Pillow case
 Blanket (SURGICAL BED)
 Clean Gloves

Remember!
 Narrow hem
 Wider hem
 Wrong side
 Right side
 Toe pleat ( room for the toes to provide
comfort, improve circulation
 Center fold of the linen

TOE PLEAT