Chairs ....or beds?

[Garry]

It seems our main unit may not be alone in the fact that the majority of dialysis points are occupied by beds.  Would be grateful if others could feedback as to the use of beds in any of their units and the rough percentage in use?

The increased medical cover at our main unit makes it the preferred choice for acutes and less mobile chronic patients.  Maybe linked to an increasing age of the dialysis population but over time our unit, originally specified for 30 points of use with treatment chairs, has covertly moved to a majority of beds.  On some shifts we may have only around 4 chairs in use.  The department's initial view is to make an effort to return, where possible, to chairs as the logistics of storing the spare chairs, swapping beds, health and safety (form space restraints) and infection control concerns is a nightmare.

Personally, given the choice,  I'd prefer to be on a bed for a 4 hour treatment.  Likewise, many of our healthier patents see the others on beds and request that choice.

We thought we were isolated in this situation but maybe not?

Have also noticed a few beds appearing at satellite units, initially to allow capacity to managed.  Is this a trend?

[Paul J McCarthy]

Hi With us the satellite units are in the main chairs, with a few beds. But in our main unit we have normally only one or two chairs, with the rest beds. Originally it was the other way round. It seemed like as soon as one person was on a bed then every one wanted one.

[Chris Bates]

There are a few Bed/Chairs, claiming to offer the best of both worlds.
Likamed do a couple and I have seen others (possibly through LinC)

[John Moore]

In our main o/p unit 25 out of 45 stations are beds. Our satellites are chairs only.

[fraser gilmour]

The only time we have beds is when they wheel in-patients down from wards(<10%), and that's a squeeze. This is the case for our main unit and one of our satellites which is attached to a hospital. Our outpatients aren't offered them as an option, space for storage would be our issue too.

We've just had a satellite unit refit and the first plan that came out showed 20% as bed bays, I think partly to cater for bariatric. Somewhere along the line it's gone back to 100% chairs.