Bedrail use in english and welsh hospitals

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Volumn 57, Issue 10, 2009, Pages 1887-1891

  Healey, Frances M ^a   Cronberg, Alexandra ^a   Oliver, David ^b,c  

^a NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY AGENCY   (United Kingdom)

^b CITY UNIVERSITY   (United Kingdom)

^c ROYAL BERKSHIRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Bedrails; Prevalence; Rationale; Side rails

Indexed keywords

ADULT; ARTICLE; BED; CLINICAL TRIAL; CONFUSION; CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL; CONTROLLED STUDY; HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION; HUMAN; MULTICENTER STUDY; NURSE; PATIENT MOBILITY; RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL; UNITED KINGDOM;

ACCIDENTAL FALLS; ADOLESCENT; ADULT; AGED; BEDS; ENGLAND; EQUIPMENT DESIGN; HOSPITALS; HUMANS; MIDDLE AGED; NURSING STAFF, HOSPITAL; WALES; YOUNG ADULT;

EID: 70350409812     PISSN: 00028614     EISSN: 15325415     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2009.02448.x     Document Type: Article

References (30)

1. Healey F, Oliver D, Milne A et al. The effect of bedrails on falls and injury: A systematic review of clinical studies. Age Ageing 2008 37 : 368 378.
2. United Kingdom Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. MHRA Device Bulletin 2006. The Safe Use of Bedrails [on-line]. Available at Accessed August 14, 2008.
3. Hignett S, Masud T, Jansen S. Review of inpatient falls associated with bedrails. In : Bust P, McCabe PTS, editors. Contemporary Ergonomics. London : Taylor & Francis, 2005, pp 475 495.
4. Gallinagh R, Nevin R, McIlroy D et al. The use of physical restraints as a safety measure in the care of older people in four rehabilitation wards: Findings from an exploratory study. Int J Nurs Stud 2002 39 : 147 156.
5. Vassallo M, Stockdalle R, Wilkinson C et al. Acceptability of falls prevention measures for hospital inpatients. Age Ageing 2004 33 : 400.
6. Vassallo M, Wilkinson C, Stockdale R et al. Attitudes to restraint for the prevention of falls in hospital. Gerontology 2005 51 : 66 70.
7. Marcy-Edwards D. Bedrails. Is there an up side? Can Nurse 2005 101 : 30 39.
8. Anon. Cotsides - protecting whom against what? Lancet 1984 2 : 383 384.
9. Noone I, Fleming H. Hospital Cotsides: Who are they really helping? World Irish Nurs 1998 9 : 20 21.
10. Jehan W. Restraint or protection? The use of bedside rails. Nurs Man (UK) 1999 6 : 9 13.
11. Todd JF, Ruhl CE, Gross TP. Injury and death associated with hospital bed side-rails: Reports to the US Food and Drug Administration from 1985 to 1995. Am J Public Health 1997 87 : 1675 1677. Erratum 1997;87:12:2052.
12. Miles SH. Deaths between bedrails and air pressure mattresses. J Am Geriatr Soc 2002 50 : 1124 1125.
13. Parker K, Miles SH. Deaths caused by bedrails. J Am Geriatr Soc 1997 44 : 797 802.
14. Hanger HC, Ball MC, Wood LA. An analysis of falls in hospital. Can we do without bedrails? J Am Geriatr Soc 1999 47 : 529 531.
15. Si M, Neufeld RN, Dunbar J. Removal of bedrails on a short-term nursing home rehabilitation unit. Gerontologist 1999 39 : 611 614.
16. Brown EL. A Study of a Side Rail Reduction Program in a Long-Term Care Facility: Implications for a Professional Nursing Staff. New York : Columbia University Teachers' College, 1997.
17. Hignett S, Griffiths P. Do Split-side rails present an increased risk to patient safety? Qual Saf Health Care 2005 14 : 113 116.
18. United Kingdom National Patient Safety Agency. Safe and effective use of bedrails in hospitals: Safer Practice Notice 2007 [on-line]. Available at Accessed August 14, 2008.
19. Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. Prevention of Falls and Falls Injuries in the Older Adult. Nursing Best Practice Guidelines 2005 [on-line]. Available at Accessed August14, 2008.
20. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare. Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People. Best practice guidelines for Australian hospitals and residential aged care facilities 2005 [on-line]. Available at Accessed August14, 2008.
21. Govier I, Kingdom A. The rise and fall of cot sides. Nurs Stand 2000 14 : 40 41.
22. O'Keeffe S, Jack CIA, Lye M. Use of restraints and bedrails in a British hospital. J Am Geriatr Soc 1996 44 : 1086 1088.
23. Raw J, Stacey S. Are the days of bedrails coming to an end? Age Ageing 2004 33 : 641.
24. Capezuti E, Bourbonniere M, Strumpf N et al. Side rail use in a large urban medical centre. Gerontologist 2000 40 : 117.
25. Mildner S, Snell A, Arora A et al. The prevalence of bedrail use in British hospitals. Age Ageing 2003 32 : 555 556.
26. The Information Centre (UK) Hospital Episode Statistics 2007/08 [on-line]. Available at Accessed December 14, 2008.
27. National Patient Safety Agency Slips trips and falls in hospital 2007 [on-line]. Available at Accessed December 14, 2008.
28. National Patient Safety Agency Bedrail Survey Methods and Data Collection Form [on-line]. Available at Accessed December 14, 2008.
29. United Kingdom Royal College of Nursing Let's Talk About Restraint: Rights, Risks and Responsibility 2008 [on-line]. Available at Accessed August 14, 2008.
30. Brush BL, Capezuti E. A historical analysis of siderail use in American hospitals. J Nurs Law 2002 8 : 17 24.