Final shipment of beds received and providing comfort and safety to patients.

We’re excited to report that towards the end of summer, a special delivery of 30 brand new patient beds arrived at Guelph General Hospital.

The delivery was the final one in a three-year plan to replace a total of 88 beds throughout the Hospital.

There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep…and that’s especially true for patients in hospital. Yet, at a time when so much of our focus is on high tech equipment, the hospital bed rarely gets its due, even though its healing power and the restorative effects of a good night’s sleep are undeniable.

In fact, the hospital bed might just be the most underrated piece of equipment in the hospital. No longer just a place to rest and recuperate, the hospital bed has undergone a technological evolution of its own in recent years.

Today’s beds play a far more active role in treating patients, preventing serious complications, and ensuring the comfort and safety of patients and staff alike. Many are specialized and designed to meet the specific needs of different patients. For example:

• A “bed exit” feature sounds an alarm when a patient leaves the bed so a nurse can quickly respond and assist the patient.
• New bed and mattress technology can help reduce pressure ulcers helps keep patients’ skin safe.
• Built-in controls help nurses reposition patients with the switch of a button, making it easier for our Hospital’s nurses to provide care.

Thanks to a well-coordinated team of Hospital staff, the arrival of the beds went very smoothly. Within a single day, the team assembled the beds, completed safety checks, washed and made the beds with fresh linens before they were wheeled into patient rooms for immediate use.

The old beds were returned to their manufacturer. They will be reconditioned and repurposed for distribution to hospitals and other health care facilities in developing countries around the world where they will continue to provide care and comfort for many more years to come.

Back at Guelph General Hospital, the new beds are anticipated to be in use for at least 10 years. That’s a lot of patients who will be more comfortable and safe during their hospital stay.

The beds were partly funded by generous donors from within our community, and partly funded through the Hospital’s capital budget.

“It’s important to us that our donors know the impact they have on the lives of others” said Suzanne Bone, CEO of The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital. “A generous gift to the Hospital can touch the lives of many others in our community.”