Healthcare facilities must consider a range of factors when deciding between pulp and reusable plastic bedpans, most importantly:

  • Infection control
  • Cost
  • Staff and patient preferences
  • Space limitations
  • Environmental responsibility

Pulp bedpans

Pulp bedpans are widely available and are disposed of after use in a macerator or an offensive waste bin.

Infection control

Many leading healthcare providers are switching to using pulp bedpans as they offer a secure, uni-directional infection pathway. Single-use pulp bedpans have proven to reduce infection rates by 33% compared to reusable alternatives. (Bryce 2011, 566-570)

Cost

Sites who have migrated to pulp have found they also incur significant long-term indirect savings through infection treatment and shorter patient stays. This is alongside direct savings such as decreased utilities and disinfectant usage.

Staff and patient preferences

95% of clinical staff has expressed a preference for single-use toileting devices compared to reusable alternatives. (Delaney 2017)  Patients often prefer pulp bedpans as they will always receive a new, clean device and pulp disposal systems are quiet.

Space limitations

Most pulp products can be stacked for easy storage solutions in tight sluice rooms.

Environmental responsibility

Pulp bedpans are made of recycled organic materials and are flushed down drains much like toilet paper.

 

Reusable bedpans

Reusable bedpans are washed either by hand or by a washer-disinfector after use and are made of plastic or stainless steel.

Infection control

Reusable bedpans require thorough cleaning processes to ensure elimination of infection. Studies have found failure rates of up to 33% in hospital washer-disinfectors, which can have a serious impact on patient health.

Cost

Reusable bedpans should be replaced every 6 months as pathogens can build up in scratches. Running costs of washer-disinfectors are high and they require high amounts of hot water and expensive disinfectant to operate effectively.

Staff and patient preferences

Staff have reported that using reusable bedpans is unpleasant as they require more processing, resulting in hazardous splashing and contribute to an unhygienic working environment.

Space limitations

Reusable bedpans cannot be stacked.

Environmental responsibility

Washing reusable bedpans uses high levels of disinfectant which can cause environmental contamination. It is also highly water and energy intensive.  

 

Further Reading

Delaney, Molly Bridget. “Kick the Bucket: One Hospital System’s Journey to Reduce Clostridium Difficile.” Journal of Emergency Nursing 43, no. 6 (2017): 519–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2017.02.003.

Bryce, Elizabeth, Allison Lamsdale, Leslie Forrester, Linda Dempster, Sydney Scharf, Michael Mcauley, Ian Clearie, Sharon Stapleton, and Sheila Browning. “Bedpan Washer Disinfectors: An in-Use Evaluation of Cleaning and Disinfection.” American Journal of Infection Control 39, no. 7 (2011): 566–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmii.2015.02.055.