Improving Best Practices in Assessing the Usage Conditions of Hospital and Long-Term Care Mattresses

Background: Inadequate mattresses can pose risks to users, and the routine inspection of mattresses often falls short in various healthcare settings. Objectives: To evaluate the physical condition of mattresses in hospitals and long-term care facilities and to explore the association with management practices regarding procurement, handling, and maintenance. Methods: This analytical descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 hospitals and 5 long-term care facilities, examining a total of 278 mattresses through proportional stratified sampling. The Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Multiple Regression Analysis were utilized for data analysis. Results: Only 9.9% of the mattresses met the physical evaluation criteria, highlighting a significant gap in mattress management standardization. The highest compliance was noted in the utilization of waterproof coverings, whereas the lowest was in mattress labeling. Factors significantly influencing the scores included the involvement of nurses in the evaluation process, periodic replacement of coverings, type of administration, assessment of mattress and covering integrity during bed making, and the nature of the institution. Conclusions: Due to inadequate physical conditions in both hospital and long-term care settings, the low approval rate of mattresses underscores the urgent need for standardized mattress management practices. Descriptors: Beds, Hospital Infection, Disinfection, Long-Term Care Facilities for the Elderly, Patient Safety.