A bedpan or bed pan is a receptacle used for the

toileting In health care, toileting is the act of assisting a dependent patient with his/her elimination needs. Methods of toileting Depending on a patient's condition, his/her toileting needs may need to be met differently. This could be by assisting th ...

of a bedridden

patient A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other heal ...

in a

health care Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health pr ...

facility, and is usually made of metal, glass, ceramic, or plastic. A bedpan can be used for both urinary and fecal discharge. Many diseases can confine a patient to bed, necessitating the use of bedpans, including

Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As ...

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms beco ...

stroke A stroke is a disease, medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemorr ...

, and

dementia Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...

. Additionally, many patients may be confined to a bed temporarily as a result of a temporary illness, injury, or surgery. Bedpans are usually constructed of

stainless steel Stainless steel is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It contains at least 11% chromium and may contain elements such as carbon, other nonmetals and metals to obtain other desired properties. Stainless steel's r ...

, which is easy to clean and durable, but may be cold, hard, and uncomfortable to use. Also, the supporting area of some products is very small, and prolonged use can cause

pressure ulcer Pressure ulcers, also known as pressure sores, bed sores or pressure injuries, are localised damage to the skin and/or underlying tissue that usually occur over a bony prominence as a result of usually long-term pressure, or pressure in combi ...

s. To solve these problems, ergonomic bedpans have been developed, which support the patient with a larger area of less-conductive plastic. Some designs completely cover the

genitalia A sex organ (or reproductive organ) is any part of an animal or plant that is involved in sexual reproduction. The reproductive organs together constitute the reproductive system. In animals, the testis in the male, and the ovary in the female, a ...

during use, offering protection and an extra measure of privacy. On the other hand, the material is more difficult to sterilize, and may become a reservoir for microorganisms. Fracture bedpans are smaller than standard size bedpans, and have one flat end. These bedpans are designed specifically for patients who have had a

hip fracture A hip fracture is a break that occurs in the upper part of the femur (thigh bone). Symptoms may include pain around the hip, particularly with movement, and shortening of the leg. Usually the person cannot walk. They most often occur as a res ...

or are recovering from hip replacement. This type of bedpan may be used for those patients who cannot raise their hips high enough or roll over onto a regular size bedpan. In recent years, single-use bedpan liners made of recycled wood pulp (

molded pulp Molded pulp or molded fiber (also spelled as moulded pulp or moulded fibre) is a packaging material, that is typically made from recycled paperboard and/or newsprint. It is used for protective packaging or for food service trays and beverage c ...

) have become more widely used in UK hospitals; they decrease the risk of cross-contamination. Another alternative is the plastic bedpan liner. Some liners are made of

biodegradable plastic Biodegradable plastics are plastics that can be decomposed by the action of living organisms, usually microbes, into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. Biodegradable plastics are commonly produced with renewable raw materials, micro-organisms ...

and contain absorbent powder to eliminate splashing and spills. Liners are used in hospitals to decrease infection, and are also used for home health care.

References

Toilets Medical equipment {{Treatment-stub

See also

References