Want to know more about hospital beds? Here are some of the basics on hospital beds. There are 4 main types of hospital beds.

 

Semi-Electric (Most Common)

The semi-electric hospital bed has a hand control and 2 motors that operate the head and the feet (up and down). The height of the bed is controlled with a hand crank. Most people find that once they find the desired height they just leave it at that height. This bed works well for people recovering from surgery, people who need their feet elevated and people having difficulty getting out of a standard bed. Semi-Electric Hospital bed mattresses measure 36"x80" and takes twin long sheets. We also rent semi-electric hospital beds.

 

Full-Electric

The fully-electric hospital bed has 6 buttons on the hand control and 3 motors that operates the head, feet and the bed height (up and down). This is a great option for those who require frequent bed height adjustment for transfering or for caregiver ease in providing care for the patient. The fully-electric hospital bed mattresses measure 36"x80" and takes twin long sheets.

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Full-Electric Hi-Low

These beds perform the same as a standard full-electric hospital bed but can go lower and higher than the standard. This is a great option for people who are prone to fall out of bed and cannot have bed rails as the bed can be lowered as low as possible to minimize falls. They are also a great option for individuals who are tall of just need the ability to raise the bed to a higher level than standard fully electric beds. The Hi/Low beds have become a lot more popular lately as more facilities and adult family homes no longer allow any type of bed rails. 

 

Bariatric Beds

Bariatric beds feature a wider sleep surface and an increased weight capacity. Standard hospital beds are considered a twin long 36x80 sleep surface and normally have a 350-400 pound capacity. Bariatric beds are available in 42”-48” widths and have weight capacities up to 1000 pounds. All bariatric beds have fully electric features.A few things to keep in mind: The 42" and 48" Bariatric beds are considerably higher cost and often have a lot fewer mattress options. Bariatric mattresses tend to be a lot more firm in order to accommodate the increased weight capacity. 

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Mattresses

There are a lot of mattress options for the 36x80 hospital beds. There are standard innerspring, foam, therapeutic and air options. Prices range on hospital bed mattresses from around $199-$8,000 depending on your needs. We often suggest starting with a standard innerspring mattress and then adding overlays or additional padding for comfort. If the patient has skin issues or is at risk for bed sores or skin break down then we would suggest the air or therapeutic line of mattresses. 

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Accessories

We have a variety of add ons and accessories that you can add to your hospital bed: Bed rails (full length/half length), Over-head trapeze options that can connect directly to the bed. The trapeze option is helpful to adjust yourself in the bed. We also carry sheets for the standard sized hospital beds. 

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We have a few basic beds in stock and can order anything you like from various manufacturers. Rental options are available for our standard hospital beds. Have a hospital bed and need repairs? Contact us. We repair most homecare hospital beds from various manufacturers. Visit our Vancouver, Washington medical supply store.