A scoop mattress is a special type of mattress with raised sides which may be employed as a fall prevention measure.
Certain types of nursing home residents are at risk of falling from bed. Usually, these are residents who have significant muscular weakness or loss of motor control. When these residents get toward the edge of the bed, simply getting an arm or a leg over the edge of the mattress can result in the resident falling from bed and suffering significant injuries such as a fractured hip or a brain bleed.
A scoop mattress serves as a fall prevention measure for these residents by creating a barrier which helps stop the resident from sliding out of bed once they get an arm or a leg out of bed. When a resident is at risk of falling from bed, use of a scoop mattress should be incorporated in the fall prevention care plan.
Fall prevention is a crucial issue in the nursing home setting and a scoop mattress is a tool which is appropriate for use with certain categories of residents in nursing homes.