It is not enough to go all out to purchase a hospital bed, you must know what you really want. You must have an idea of the size and dimensions that work for you. There are different sizes of hospital beds out there. These beds may either be manual or electrical and they are produced by renowned companies in the medical equipment industry. In this article, we will be sharing vital information with you as it concerns purchase of hospital beds.
What is the standard dimension of a hospital bed?
There are so many classifications of hospital beds in terms of limits, model, and manufacturers. Some models are actually longer than others and this means they can accommodate frames of different sizes. It is also important to state that the width of a hospital bed largely depends on the style of the bed. The size of the bed can be increased by accessories such as bed frame extenders so that taller patients can be accommodated in the bed.
The dimension of a standard hospital bed in the United States of America is 80 inches long and 36 inches wide. When the calibration or measurement is done in metric terms, the size is about 2.02 meters by 0.9144 meters. Do not forget that this illustrates the frame’s size inside the head and foot boards.
It is possible for the headboard and footboard to be larger than the available space in the room. The measurement of the hospital bed may be increased by the actual frame which includes the footboard and headboard. The dimension may be increased to 84 inches by 36 inches. There should also be enough space for bed adjustments and for a caregiver to be able to walk around freely.
Average dimension of bariatric hospital bed
The size and dimension of an extra-large hospital bed is not the same as that of a standard bed. While a standard bed weighs between 350 pounds and 450 pounds. A typical bariatric bed (which is usually larger) can withstand the weight of 600, 750 and up to 1000 pounds. It is also important to state that a bariatric model has more length and width than the average hospital bed. A bariatric hospital bed is beneficial to people that are taller than average. Such a person will find it hard to fit into a standard-sized hospital bed.
If the length of a bed is beyond 36”, it is a bariatric bed. There are different sizes and dimensions of bariatric models. They include:
- Smaller models of bariatric beds have a dimension of 88 inches by 42 inches.
- The dimension of a mid-range bariatric medical bed is approximately 94 inches in length and 48 inches wide.
- A large bariatric bed model has a dimension of 94 inches by 54 inches.
What is the effect of weight capacity on bed size?
There are certain mattresses that can fit into a user’s hospital bed and this depends on the sleeping surface. When purchasing a hospital bed for the home, you only have to bother about the size of a hospital bed for home use.
We can compare common size hospital beds to a twin-sized or full-sized bed frame. However, the size of a hospital bed may vary from one product or manufacturer to another. When choosing a hospital bed, the mobility needs and individual size of the patient must be considered.
| Bed Frame Size | Dimensions (Inches) | Dimensions (CM) |
| Twin | 39” x 75” | 96.5 cm x 190.5 cm |
| Full | 54” x 75” | 134.5 cm x 190.5 cm |
| Queen | 60” x 80” | 152.5 cm x 203.5 cm |
| King | 76” x 80” | 193 cm x 203.5 cm |
| Cal King | 72” x 84” | 183 cm x 213.5 cm |
Standard beds
If there is anything to deduce from the table above, it is simply that it is not possible to go by regular bed dimensions when selecting a hospital bed’s frame size. As said ab initio, the average bed size for a hospital patient is 36” wide x 80” long and this means that the most common standard bed frames share similar size and dimensions as a twin bed albeit the dimensions are not equally matched. Therefore, it is not okay to use a regular mattress for a hospital bed because it is dangerous to use a mattress that isn’t optimized for the adjustability features that hospital beds are known for.
Bariatric bed frames
As earlier stated, bariatric bed frames are ideal for taller patients. There are different sizes and dimensions of bariatric beds. Their height and width aren’t always the same. So, doublecheck that the mattress you have selected works for the bed frame size you have. For reiteration, the length of a hospital bed is more than that of any standard full, king-sized or queen-sized bed.
Choosing the right bed
You may either rent a hospital bed or purchase one depending on how long you need it for. To choose the right bed, make sure you have an idea of the required weight capacity and go for any model that meets this criterion. The weight of the patient shouldn’t be the only consideration, you also have to factor in the weight of the hospital bed mattress and the weight of any accessory or belongings.
You should also decide whether to go for a fully electric, manual, or semi-electric bed. You’d also have to make a decision on whether options such as a bed rail is needed.