Making an Occupied Bed Performance Checklist

Making an Occupied Bed

1. Check the care plan for directions and client needs. Ensure you have a second staff member to assist, if necessary for patient safety. Perform hand hygiene. Explain the procedure to the client.
2. Collect clean linens in this order:
   • Mattress pad (if used)
   • Bottom sheet (flat or fitted)
   • Incontinence or turning pad or slider system sheet (as necessary)
   • Top sheet (flat)
   • Blanket or comforter or flannel
   • Bedspread
   • Pillowcases
3. Place linen on a clean surface.
4. Provide for privacy and remove call bell.
5. Follow employer policy for disposing dirty linen.
   • Place laundry bag near bed if this is an option in your facility.
6. Raise the bed to a comfortable working height and lower the head of the bed as flat as possible.
7. Apply gloves
8. Loosen top linen at the foot of the bed.
9. Remove the bedspread and blanket separately. Fold them if you will reuse them. Place each over a chair.
10. Leave the top sheet on your client for privacy and warmth.
11. Position the client on the side of the bed opposite to where you will begin.
    • Adjust the pillow for comfort
    • Ensure side rail is up.
12. Loosen old bottom linens from the head of the bed to the foot of the bed.
13. Fan fold old bottom linens one at a time toward the client, beginning with the old incontinence pad.
    • If heavily soiled, remove incontinence pad immediately or roll tightly to contain.
14. Provide peri-care as necessary (see Personal Care Skills).
15. Place a clean incontinence pad over the old one. Fan-fold toward the client, tucking it next to the client.
16. Place the clean bottom sheet on the mattress, with the hem stitching away from the client. Unfold the sheet so that the crease is in the middle and the small hem is even with the bottom of the mattress.
17. Make a mitred corner at the head of the bed. Tuck the sheet under the mattress from the head to foot.
18. Pull the clean incontinence pad toward you, over the bottom sheet. Fan-fold both toward the client.
19. Raise the bedrail on the side you are on and move to the other side of the bed.
20. Explain to the client that they will roll over a bump. Help the client turn to the other side. Adjust the pillow as necessary.
21. Remove the soiled incontinence pad and loosen bottom linen on that side. Remove each piece of bottom linen one at a time, rolling each piece away from you.
22. Discard dirty linen according to agency policy.
23. Remove and discard gloves, perform hand hygiene.
24. Straighten and smooth mattress pad, if used.
25. Pull the fan-folded clean bottom sheet and incontinence pad toward you, ensuring they are smooth without wrinkles. Make a mitred corner at the top. Tuck the sheet under the mattress from the head to the foot of the bed.
26. Place the client in the supine position.
27. Put a clean top sheet on the bed. Unfold it lengthwise with the crease in the middle and the large hem even with the top of the mattress.
28. Ask the client to hold the clean top sheet while you pull the old top sheet out.
    • If they cannot assist, you can tuck the clean top sheet under their shoulders.
29. Place the blanket on the bed and unfold lengthwise with the centre crease in the middle
    • Put the upper hem about 15-20cm from the top of the mattress, with the hem stitching downward.
30. Place the bedspread on the bed and unfold lengthwise with the centre crease in the middle
    • ensure the upper hem even with the top of the mattress.
31. Turn the top hem of the bedspread under the blanket to make a cuff. Bring the top sheet down over the bedspread to form a cuff.
32. Go to the foot of the bed. Make a toe pleat using the top linens.
33. Lift the mattress corner with one arm, tuck all top linens under the mattress together. Make a mitred corner.
34. Raise the bedrail.
35. Go to the other side of the bed and lower the bedrail.
36. Straighten and smooth top linens.
37. Tuck the top linens under the mattress and make a mitred corner
38. Change pillowcase(s).
39. Raise the HOB according to client care plan or preference.
40. Post-Procedure: provide for comfort and safety. Ensure call bell is within reach. Lower the bed to its lowest position and raise bedrails according to policy. Remove privacy measure as necessary. Perform hand hygiene.