What is a profiling bed?
A profiling bed is a bed with a mattress platform consisting of two, three or four sections dependent upon the level and complexity of profiling action provided. These sections enable the different sections to incline independently to create a rising backrest and knee break profile for increased comfort. The actions facilitate nursing, care and clinical procedures.
These actions help to increase user comfort, can aid pressure redistribution for individuals spending extended periods of time in bed. Most profiling beds are electrically operated via a handset, and also feature a variable height facility, making an important contribution to the occupant and manual handling safety.
Types and characteristics of profiling beds
Most profiling beds are designed for use in acute hospital, long-term care or community care environments. Although there are options developed for domestic use. Those developed for acute hospital applications usually offer a wide range of features and actions. These can include:
- Single touch cardiac chair positioning, where one button controls the movement of the bed to form this position
- Trendelenburg and reverse Trendelenburg positioning (head down or foot down tilt)
- CPR, where again a one button touch flattens all sections of the bed for emergency procedures
- Angle indicators to ensure patients are positioned correctly
Low mattress platform versions of these beds are particularly useful in areas where falls prevention is an important consideration. Most manufacturers also offer a selection of side rail options for added occupant safety.
Specialist options available
Profiling beds developed for long-term care and community applications focus around occupant comfort and safety, many featuring an attractive domestic appearance. This can incorporate a choice of wood finishes and other aspects such as padded head ends in a variety of colours.
Paediatric profiling beds are also available for children and small adults. Furthermore, bariatric profiling beds cater for occupants weighing up to 50 stone and beyond can now be sourced easily.
The Profiling Action
Intensive research and development work into refining the profiling actions means that many hospital beds and profiling beds for care homes feature special mechanisms such as an auto contour function profiling position that raises/lowers both the backrest and knee break simultaneously to promote comfort and minimise migration in the bed.
Pre-programmed movements
Profiling bed manufacturers have also developed products that have been pre-programmed to move the backrest and knee break sections in carefully sequenced stages, avoiding the possibility of the occupant slipping down in the bed. Some of these ‘auto-regressing’ backrests also feature ratchet actuators for safety purposes. Here, if the backrest movement is paused for any reason, when it resumes it remains at that level rather than drop suddenly to avoid any danger of entrapment.
Adjustment varies according to design
Profiling bed adjustments vary greatly according to the design and specification of each individual bed, but will in general provide:
- Height adjustment
- Backrest angle adjustment
- Knee break/Leg rest adjustment
Other features and specifications can be added to increase functionality. The ability to raise and lower the mattress platform assists greatly with nursing procedures and reduces the risk of falls. The profiling action for the backrest and knee break sections increases comfort and reduces the need for manual handling.
Separate handsets for carers and patients
For added independence, many profiling beds are available with separate nurse and patient handsets, giving each individual the independence to control his or her own positioning in the bed where this is appropriate. Lockout functions on the handset can enable and disable certain movements where required.
Key specifications
Profiling beds for acute, long-term care and community environments typically measure between 90-100cm in width and 2.2m in length. Bed extensions are available for taller patients. Mattress platform height variation ranges between 40-80cm. Beds are also available that descend lower than this range and are especially useful for users at risk from falling. There are also special wider options available in the community and long-term care fields, offering greater comfort, plus a range of bariatric options for heavier patients weighing up to 50 stone and beyond.
Bed options
Most adjustable beds or height profiling beds are available with a wide range of additional equipment. These include mattress infills, side rail pads and bumpers to ensure the safety of more vulnerable or fragile occupants. Additional options can include lifting poles, ‘Balkan Beam’ traction, drip poles and oxygen cylinder carriers. Bed and mattress extensions are also available for taller patients.
Most profiling bed manufacturers ensure that models are hoist-compatible, even at the lowest height settings, to ensure that mobile hoists can be used safely around the beds.
Mattresses must profile too!
From sophisticated fully automatic dynamic therapy systems through to simple static foam mattresses. There is a wide choice of surfaces on the market today designed for safe use with electric profiling beds. Profiling bed mattresses include dynamic, hybrid and static profiling surfaces available for the acute, community, nursing and long-term care markets.
Key Drive DeVilbiss Profiling Beds
This high performance, high specification ward bed was developed to provide the highest levels of safety and functionality. It has been dubbed ‘the modern ward bed with intelligent thinking’.
The INNOV8 iQ has been designed to optimise comfort, infection control and safety. It offers real design flexibility, meaning it is suitable for use in differing acute environments, reducing the need for bed to bed transfers. Specialist ‘iQ Contouring’ means the profiling action can move backrest and knee break sections in carefully sequenced stages. This avoids the possibility of the occupant slipping down in the bed and furthermore increases comfort.
The INNOV8 iQ is manufactured in the UK. It incorporates strong and hygienic blow moulded panels to provide a full range of benefits for both patients and care professionals.
We also offer a low version, the INNOV8 Low, the features and benefits are demonstrated in the video below;
The Bradshaw Range of Nursing Care Beds
The Bradshaw range of nursing bed and residential care home beds have been developed specifically for the care home environment. Bradshaw beds are electrically operated, fully profiling nursing beds are strong and durable. They also use lightweight construction materials, making them easy to manoeuvre and also to assemble and disassemble.
Aesthetics are an important consideration in the home environment
They are designed to be visually attractive, with a choice of differing wood finishes. Padded head ends are available in a variety of colours to harmonise with interior design schemes. The range also includes a wide and a bariatric model,. There's also a low height version to make it easy and safe for individuals to get in and out of bed, reducing the risk of falls
Bradshaw beds are complemented by a range of equipment and accessories for improved comfort, safety and convenience. These include a selection of mattresses including both static and dynamic pressure care systems to aid pressure redistribution and comfort.
The Solite Pro range is a quality, UK-manufactured electrically profiling bed. It features an electric backrest and knee break functions, variable height control as well as the option of integral full-length side rails.
The profiling function of the Solite Pro bed is demonstrated in the video below;
The Solite was the very first electric profiling bed developed for community environments. It has been constantly developed and improved over the years. The result is a combination of occupant comfort, versatility and performance.
The Solite Pro breaks down into separate lightweight sections. This makes it easy to install even in homes where space is at a premium. Designed to be easy to assemble and disassemble, the Solite Pro stores on a transport stand. This popular design offers advanced levels of functionality, safety and compliance with all relevant standards and regulations. There is also a special Low version designed for use where falls prevention is an important consideration.
See the full range of profiling beds for acute environments >>
See the full range of profiling beds for nursing and long term care environments >>
See the full range of profiling beds for community care >>