MAKING A

BED FOR A
CLIENT
 3 SECTIONS OF THE BED

usually 66 cm (26 in.) high

0.9 m (3 ft) wide
length is usually 1.9 m (6.5 ft).
GUIDELINES IN BED-MAKING
Wear gloves
Hold soiled linen away from uniform.
Linen for one client is never (even
momentarily) placed on another clients bed.
Place soiled linen directly in a portable linen
hamper or tucked into a pillow case at the end
of the bed before it is gathered up for disposal.
Do not shake soiled linen in the air
Stripping and making up one side of the bed as
much as possible before working on the other
side.
Gather all linen before starting to strip a bed.
UNOCCUPIED BED
MITERING THE CORNER
The sheet is hanging over the side of the
bed.
MITERING THE CORNER
Tuck in the bedcover (sheet, blanket,
and/or spread) firmly under the mattress
at the bottom of
the bed.
 MITERING THE CORNER
Grasp the edge of the sheet about 12 inches
from the foot of the bed and lift it up, forming
a triangle. Lay the triangular fold on the top of
the bed, and smooth the hanging portion of the
sheet against the side of the mattress.
 MITERING THE CORNER

Tuck the hanging portion of the sheet

underneath the mattress, while holding the
triangular fold taut against the top of the
bed.
 MITERING THE CORNER
Bring the triangular fold back down over the
edge of the mattress, and tuck it underneath.
The sides of the top sheet, blanket, and
bedspread may be left hanging freely rather
than tucked in, if desired
CHANGING AN
UNOCCUPIED BED
CHANGING AN
UNOCCUPIED BED
CHANGING AN
UNOCCUPIED BED

Plastic laundry bag or portable linen hamper

CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

Introduce yourself, and verify

the clients identity. Explain to
the client what you are going
to do, why it is necessary, and
how the client can cooperate.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

Perform hand hygiene, and

observe other appropriate
infection control procedures.
Put on disposable gloves, if
then is soiled with bodily
fluids.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

Provide for client privacy.

CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

Place the fresh linen on the

clients chair or overbed
table; do not use another
clients bed.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

Assess and assist the client out of bed

using assistive devices (e.g., cane,
walker, safety belt) as appropriate.

Assist the client to a comfortable

chair
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

Raise the bed to a comfortable

working height.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

Apply clean gloves if linens and

equipment have been soiled
with secretions and/or
excretions
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED
STRIP THE BED:

Check bed linens for any items

belonging to the client, and
detach the call bell or any
drainage tubes from the bed
linen.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED
STRIP THE BED:

Loosen all bedding systematically,

starting at the head of the bed
on the far side and moving
around the bed up to the head
of the bed on the near side.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

STRIP THE BED:

Remove the pillowcases, if

soiled, and place the pillows
on the bedside chair near the
foot of the bed.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED
STRIP THE BED:

Fold reusable linens, such as the

bedspread and top sheet on the
bed, into fourths. First, fold the
linen in half by bringing the top
edge even with the bottom edge,
and then grasp it at the center of
the middle fold and bottom edges.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

STRIP THE BED:

Remove the incontinent pad

and discard it if soiled.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED
STRIP THE BED:

Roll all soiled linen inside the

bottom sheet, hold it away from
your uniform, and place it
directly in the linen hamper, not
on the floor.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

STRIP THE BED:

Grasp the mattress securely,

using the lugs if present, and
move the mattress up to the
head of the bed.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

STRIP THE BED:

Remove and discard gloves if

used. Perform hand hygiene.
CHANGING AN UNOCCUPIED BED

Apply the bottom sheet and

drawsheet(optional)
 SURGICAL BED

Strip the bed

Place and leave
the pillows on
the bedside
chair.
Apply the bottom linens
as for an unoccupied bed.
Place a bath blanket on
the foundation of the bed
if this is agency practice.
Place the top covers (sheet,
blanket, and bedspread) on
the bed as you would for an
unoccupied bed. Do not tuck
them in, miter the corners,
or make a toe pleat.
Make a cuff at the top of
the bed as you would
for an unoccupied bed.
Fold the top linens up
from the bottom.
On the side of the bed where
the client will be transferred,
fold up the two outer corners
of the top linens so they
meet in the middle of the
bed forming a triangle.
Pick up the apex of the
triangle and fanfold the
top linens lengthwise to
the other side of the
bed.
Leave the bed in
high position with
the side rails
down.
Lock the wheels of
the bed if the bed
is not to be moved.
 CHANGING AN OCCUPIED
BED
Introduce yourself, and verify
the clients identity. Explain
to the client what you are
going to do, why it is
necessary, and how the client
can cooperate.
Perform hand hygiene, and
observe other appropriate
infection control
procedures. Put on
disposable gloves, if then
is soiled with bodily fluids.
Provide for client
privacy.
Remove the top
bedding.
Remove any
equipment attached
to the bed linen, such
as a signal light.
Loosen all the top linen
at the foot of the bed,
and remove the spread
and the blanket.
Leave the top sheet over the client, or
replace it with a bath blanket as follows:
Spread the bath blanket over the top sheet.
Ask the client to hold the top edge of the
blanket.
Reaching under the blanket from the side, grasp
the top edge of the sheet, and draw it down to
the foot of the bed, leaving the blanket in place.
Remove the sheet from the bed, and place it in
the soiled linen hamper.
Change the bottom
sheet and draw
sheet.
Assist the client to turn
on to side facing away
from the side where the
clean linen is.
Raise the side rail nearest
the client. If there is no
side rail, have another
nurse support the client
at the edge of the bed.
Loosen the foundation
of the linen on the side
of the bed near the
linen supply.
Fanfold the draw sheet
and the bottom sheet at
the center of the bed, as
close to the client as
possible.
Place the new bottom sheet on
the bed, and vertically fanfold the
half to be used on the far side of
the bed as close to the client as
possible. Tuck the sheet under
the near half of the bed, and
miter the corner if contour sheet
is not being used.
Place the clean draw sheet on
the bed with the center fold at
the center of the bed. Fanfold
the uppermost half vertically
at the center of the bed, and
tuck the near side edge under
the side of the mattress.
Assist the client to roll
over toward you onto the
clean side of the bed.
Have the client roll over
the fan folded linen at the
center of the bed.
Move the pillows to the
clean side for the
clients use. Raise the
side rail before leaving
the side of the bed.
Move to the other
side of the bed,
and lower the side
rail.
Remove the used
linen, and place it
in the portable
hamper.
Facing the side of the bed,
use both hands to pull the
bottom sheet so that it is
smooth, and tuck the
excess under the side of
the mattress.
Unfold the
fanfolded bottom
sheet, from the
center of the bed.
Facing the side of the bed,
use both hands to pull the
bottom sheet so that it is
smooth, and tuck the excess
under the side of the
mattress.
Unfold the draw sheet fan folded at the
center of the bed, and pull it tightly with
both hands. Pull the sheet in three
sections:
Face the side of the bed to pull the middle
section.
Face the far top corner to pull the bottom
section.
Face the far bottom corner to pull the top
section.
Reposition the
client in the center
of the bed.
Reposition the
pillows at the center
of the bed.
Assist the client to the center
of the bed. Determine what
position the client requires or
prefers, and assist the client
to that position.
Apply or complete
the top bedding.
Spread the top sheet over the
client and either ask the client to
hold the top edge of the sheet or
tuck it under the shoulders. The
sheet should remain over the
client when the bath blanket or
used sheet is removed.
Complete the top
of the bed.
Ensure the
continued safety
of the client.
Raise the side rails.
Place the bed in the
low position before
leaving the bedside.
Attach the signal
cord to the bed
linen within the
clients reach.
Put item used by
the client within
easy reach.
Bed making is not
normally recorded.