Sample Side Rail Tools Now Available

Posted on June 30, 2022 by Kari Everson

LeadingAge Minnesota has worked with nurse partners to develop tools to assist members with side rail assessments in assisted living settings.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recently published additional side rail information to the Assisted Living FAQ on their website. In the FAQ, MDH distinguishes between how to physically assess assistive devices on consumer beds versus assistive devices on hospital beds.

Consumer beds with portable assistive devices, which would include bed canes, transfer poles, half side rails, u-bars, and other similar devices., should be installed per manufacturers' guidelines. There is no longer an expectation to measure potential entrapment zones on consumer beds. These assessments must be done on devices used by residents who are receiving nursing services. These assessments are not required for residents who do not receive nursing services.   Hospital beds and beds provided by hospice organizations, for example, still need measurements as part of the assessment. Organizations should follow the FDA 2006 guidance for these types of beds and rails. 

Device assessment completion is expected every 90-days or with a change in the device and should include:

• Cognitive status
• Physical status as it pertains to the use of the bed rail
• Purpose of the bedrail
• Entrapment risk
• Restraint determination
• Measurements or installation per manufacturers' guidelines depending upon the type of bed and rail
• Review of the risks, benefits, and alternative interventions and documentation of a discussion of these occurred with the resident/responsible party

There is an expectation the organization will monitor for device recalls. There are two options for monitoring recalls. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has a website where device recalls are searchable. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has a service where individuals can subscribe to FDA email notifications, and one of the options is recalls/safety notifications. Make sure to put the process and timeline the organization will use to monitor recalls. As a best practice, it is recommended the literature given to families who purchase side rails or other bed devices includes a suggestion to the purchaser to fill out the product card to receive any information from the manufacturer and to communicate that information to the assisted living.

LeadingAge Minnesota worked with nursing partners to develop tools to assist with this process. These tools have some customization options based on facility preferences. These customizations are in red for easier location. A very special thank-you to Sharon Wilson, Chief Clinical and Compliance Officer for Cassia and Katja Olson, Vice President of Clinical Services for Eventide, for their collaboration in developing a sample device assessment, device policy, and progress note.