I’ve Heard Bed Rails Can Be Dangerous. What Are the Risks Of Bed Rails In Nursing Homes?

Although bed rails are rounded and usually made out of plastic, they can be dangerous for certain patients. When they are used in beds with elderly nursing homes patients who are too weak or confused, they can actually cause more harm than good.  This is because these patients can get their heads stuck between the mattresses and bed rails and aren’t strong enough or coherent enough to get their heads unstuck. As a result, nursing home patients can suffer from strangulation and suffocation.

Even if death isn’t the result, bed rails have been known to cause cuts, bruises and other serious injuries to elderly nursing home patients. Some patients have attempted to climb over the bed rails to go to the bathroom when nursing home workers aren’t checking on them regularly. As a result, many patients have fallen and suffered life-threatening injuries in Florida nursing homes.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), about 36,000 people went to emergency rooms with bed rail injuries between 2003 and 2012, and 150 people died of their bed rail injuries. The main cause of death from bed rails is when they don’t fit flush to mattresses, causing patients to strangle, suffocate and die.

If your loved one is being held in a bed at a nursing home with bed rails, inspect it to make sure there aren’t huge gaps and that the rail fits snugly against the mattress. If you are concerned, you should voice your concerns to the nursing home administrator and find out other alternatives.

If your loved one has already been harmed from a bed rail, find out if you have rights to pursue a claim for damages. You can contact the Law Offices of David Benenfeld to speak with an experienced South Florida nursing home negligence lawyer today at (561) 960-5515(561) 960-5515in a free consultation.