A regular hospital toilet can support about 350 pounds. The commode, for instance, can support up to 750 pounds. Besides preventing injuries, Nolan said the suites - which include large commodes, beds, walkers and wheelchairs - put patients at ease. Suite rentals cost between $150 and $300 per day. вЂњAnyone can easily move bariatric patients without risk of injury.вЂќД®den also rents between two and six special bariatric suites from Sizewise, depending on need. вЂњThis is the equipment nurses wanted,вЂќ Valentine said. An Air Pal can support up to 1,000 pounds and be moved with little effort by two people. Called an Air Pal, the inflatable mattress functions much like a hovercraft, or air hockey table, by creating a cushion of air underneath. Since then, Eden has purchased about a dozen bariatric transfer devices from Sizewise, at a cost of about $1,200 each. Those injuries cost the hospital $99,000 last year - and nearly all could have been prevented by using bariatric equipment, such as special lifts. Out of 59 workers compensation claims in 2004 at Eden and San Leandro Hospital, nearly a quarter were due to these preventable вЂњstrains and sprains,вЂќ said Anthony Valentine, director of employee occupational health. For example, a person may weigh less than the maximum patient weight of a bed, but their body shape may be such that the width of a standard hospital bed is not sufficient.вЂњI had 19 calls yesterday requesting equipment due to the hot weather,вЂќ NolanД®den Medical Center signed on with Sizewise earlier this year after realizing that some on-the-job injuries occurred when nurses and other staff attempted to lift bariatric patients. Sometimes the safe working load and maximum patient weight are not the only considerations when deciding on the most suitable bed for a patient, particularly with plus-size patients. This test mimics having two people sitting on the side edge of the bed. If the maximum patient weight according to the manufacturer exceeds 220kg, the maximum patient weight is to be used and is evenly distributed over an area 95cm long and 25cm wide. To be IEC 6 compliant, 220kg (or the maximum patient weight if the manufacturer claims it is higher than 220kg) must be placed evenly in each corner of the bed without imbalance. The difference of 65kg is the weight allowance for the mattress, bedding and accessories. This is less than the safe working load because the bed, in addition to carrying the patient, will also carry a mattress, bedding and accessories.ДЇor example, the Medstrom SOLO bed has a safe working load of 258kg and a maximum patient weight of 193kg. Medical beds, in addition to having a safe working load, have a maximum patient weight. For a medical bed to be compliant with the standard, it must be able to fully function with that load in place as described above. The IEC 6 safety standard focuses on adult medical beds and provides guidelines covering a whole range of electrical and mechanical issues, including safe working load. It is a not-for-profit international group of recognised experts who set safety standards for medical electrical equipment. IEC stands for International Electrotechnical Committee. This means that a bed with a safe working load of 350kg (for example) can fully function through all its positions and profiles with that weight in place, and therefore provide positive clinical benefits for the patient. The safe working load is defined as the maximum permissible load comprised of patient, mattress, bed linen and accessories that can be safely lifted by the bed. Below are some common terms with explanations which youвЂ™re likely to encounter, and which need to be understood to fully answer the question.

The weight capacity of a hospital bed isnвЂ™t quite as straightforward as it may first seem.

What is the Weight Capacity of a Hospital Bed?

Sizewise bariatric bed