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New Beds Arrive For Backus Patients

NORWICH – The William W. Backus Hospital has invested approximately $1 million to add more than 150 beds designed to improve patient safety and comfort.

Delivery of the Stryker beds, with features that address fall prevention and also make it easier on caregivers, will begin later this month.

Karen Long, RN, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Backus, said the new beds have a number of benefits for both patients and staff. The major features include:

• Advanced bed exit alarm system, with three levels, which can be adjusted to notify the caregiver based on the patient’s risk
• Interface with the centralized nurse call system, so staff can respond faster to bed alarms.
• Lower to ground, which is easier on both patients and staff. This is important when patients must be helped into bed, as well as in fall prevention.
• Improved construction, so the beds aren’t as easily damaged when moved around.
• Specialty sleep surfaces which have been shown to prevent ulcers.
• Six beds with advanced pulmonary therapy sleep surfaces, providing continuous rotation therapy for the treatment of severe pneumonia.
• Each bed supports up to 500 pounds – currently beds for larger patients have to be rented.

In addition to the medical/surgical beds, specialized birthing beds also will be delivered.

Peter Shea, MD, Backus Medical Director, said the purchase, at an estimated $1 million, supports patients, employees and medical staff.

“These beds will improve patients’ comfort and improve their safety, as well as prevent employee injury,” Dr. Shea said.