Purpose

• Bedpans are used for elimination for persons who cannot be out of bed. Women use bedpans for voiding and bowel movements (BMs). Men use them for BMs.
• A standard bedpan has a wide rim that is placed under the buttocks.
• A fracture pan has a thin rim. It is only about ½-inch deep at one end. The smaller end is placed under the buttocks. Fracture pans are used:
  • By persons with casts
  • By persons in traction
  • By persons with limited back motion
  • After spinal cord injury or surgery
  • After a hip fracture or hip replacement surgery
• Like a fracture pan, a bariatric bedpan has a small end that is placed under the buttocks. Some have a weight capacity of 1,200 pounds.

Equipment

Roll cursor over items to see labels. For the purposes of clearly depicting the equipment, a barrier is not shown in this photo. When providing care, a barrier should always be placed on the surface before placing the equipment.

Standard bedpan

Fracture pan

Toilet tissue

Hand wipes

Hand towel

Waterproof pad

Delegation

• Follow delegation guidelines. Before giving the bedpan, obtain this information from the nurse and care plan:
  • What bedpan to use—standard bedpan, fracture pan, or bariatric bedpan
  • Position or activity limits
  • If you can leave the room or if you need to stay with the person
  • If the nurse needs to observe the results before disposing of the contents
  • What observations to report and record
  • When to report observations
  • What patient or resident concerns to report at once

Preparation

• Observe quality-of-life measures.
• Review the information under Delegation and Safety and Comfort.
• Provide for privacy.
• Practice hand hygiene.
• Put on gloves.
• Collect the equipment.
• Arrange equipment on the chair or bed.

Safety

• Urine and feces may contain blood and microbes. Microbes can live and grow in dirty bedpans. Follow Standard Precautions and the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard when handling bedpans and their contents. Thoroughly clean and disinfect bedpans after use.
• Remember to raise the bed as needed for good body mechanics. Lower the bed before leaving the room. Raise or lower the bed rails according to the care plan.

Comfort

• Some older persons have fragile bones or painful joints. For them, fracture pans are more comfortable.
• Most bedpans are made of plastic. Those made of metal are often cold. Warm them with warm water and then dry them before use.
• The person must not sit on a bedpan for a long time. Bedpans are uncomfortable and they can lead to pressure ulcers.

Follow-up Care

• Provide for comfort.
• Place the call light within reach.
• Lower the bed to its lowest position. Raise or lower bed rails. Follow the care plan.
• Unscreen the person.
• Complete a safety check of the room.
• Follow agency policy for soiled linen.
• Practice hand hygiene.

Reporting/Recording

• Report and record your observations, including:
  • Urine color, amount, clarity (or cloudiness), and odor
  • Particles or blood in the urine
  • Complaints of urinary urgency or burning, dysuria, or other problems
  • Color, amount, consistency, and odor of feces
  • Signs of blood in feces
  • Complaints of pain or discomfort with bowel movement