Beds with removable head and footboards, which lock safely into place when in use, are often preferred in ICUs. There are two key benefits to this design: In an emergency scenario, removing the headboard allows medical staff to stand behind the patient.
ICU Bed Specifications
Technically, any bed used in an intensive care unit would be classed as an ICU bed. The name refers to where a bed is used within a hospital rather than a specific type of bed.
It’s the same as how a nurse might say someone ‘needs a cardiology bed’ to mean that they need to be transferred to a bed on the cardiology ward.
Important Features for ICU Beds
By avoiding a long and detailed list of requirements for ICU beds, NHS Trusts can assess which beds best meet patient and staff needs when placing an order.
But there are several features and functions that prove important in a critical care setting. As such, most ICU beds will also include the following four features:
CPR RELEASE
Most intensive care doctors and nurses would consider CPR release as an essential for ICU beds.
This function allows medical teams to flatten the bed platform at the push of a button or lever. In an emergency, this quickly creates the flat, hard surface needed to perform CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation).