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The Challenge: Damaged Top Covers
Blood. Urine. Vomit. Chemicals. A typical hospital mattress may be exposed to 329
patients during its lifespan.* Worn or damaged top covers risk contaminating the entire mattress. In addition
to cuts and rips to the top cover fabric, your mattresses are exposed to powerful cleaners and caustic
medcines. These chemicals can break down the fabric's integrity before an actual tear appears — all posing a
clear infection threat to future patients.
Blood
Urine
Vomit
Chemicals
The Challenge: Damaged Top Covers
Blood. Urine. Vomit. Chemicals. A typical hospital mattress may be exposed to 329
patients during its lifespan.* Worn or damaged top covers risk contaminating the entire mattress. In addition
to cuts and rips to the top cover fabric, your mattresses are exposed to powerful cleaners and caustic
medcines. These chemicals can break down the fabric's integrity before an actual tear appears — all posing a
clear infection threat to future patients.
Blood
Urine
Vomit
Chemicals
- Develop an Inspection Plan
- Inspect
- Remove and Replace
- Maintain
- Develop an Inspection Plan
- Inspect
- Remove and Replace
- Maintain
Safety Poster
The FDA provided further guidance in 2017 with the release of a safety poster: Keeping Patients Safe from Contaminated Mattresses.2 This poster gives hospitals detailed guidance to inspect and maintain their mattresses.
Mattress Audit Program
Our Mattress Audit Program can help extend the life of your support surfaces by catching many issues
before they contaminate the entire mattress. Sizewise employees are trained to provide thorough
inspections — ensuring all potential issues are uncovered.
*Sizewise estimate based on average length-of-stay (5 days, CMS 2014) with occupancy rate of 75 percent, and the average mattress lifespan of six years (NHS 2016).
References
- Damaged or Worn Covers for Medical Bed Mattresses Pose Risk of Contamination and Patient Infection. (2013, Apr. 19). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved from wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20170722215739/https:/www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/ucm348016.htm
- Keeping Patients Safe from Contaminated Mattresses. (2017, Nov. 20). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved from www.fda.gov/downloads/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/GeneralHospitalDevicesandSupplies/HospitalBeds/UCM585910.pdf