Objectives: Hospital bed side-rails, while intended for patient protection, can contribute to injury and death. Reports to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of hospital bed side-rail entrapment have increased. In this paper entrapment cases are reviewed and the population potentially at risk identified.
Methods: FDA's database was searched for events involving hospital beds from January 1985 to August 1995 and entrapment cases were identified.
Results: Of 111 entrapments, 65% were associated with death and 23% with injury.
Conclusions: Advanced age, female sex, low body weight, and cognitive impairment may be associated with increased risk. Preventive measures are detailed.