Disposable Bedpans?

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Hi everyone,

I'm not a nurse, but have a question that I wanted to ask but I'm a bit embarrassed to ask about at the hospital.

My sister just checked in for surgery, and I saw that the hospital uses paper pulp disposable bedpans. Has anyone used these before? I would think that they would just dissolve when they get wet...?

I'd never seen them before, so I'm just curious.

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Hmm!

Never saw those, but they sound like a good idea.

I don't know if many places still sterilize and reuse bedpans like they used to do.

We use the plastic ones and just toss them out when the pt leaves. I'm not a big "green" person, but pulp ones would definitely be more eco-friendly, I think.

I would guess pulp ones wouldn't be good for many uses... and honestly, I think that would be a good thing. It would be replaced more often and, hopefully, be cleaner.

I wonder how cost effective they are. I would think they would have to cost less than plastic.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

My concern would be them holding up under the weight of a patient coupled with the sponginess of the bed pushing back. Sounds like potential for disaster.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

I've seen pulp emesis basins, and do they do hold up to H2O (and other....stuff :)). As for a pulp bedpan, I would be more concerned about their holding up to the weight of a human on top of them.

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Specializes in SRNA.

Yes, one of the ICUs used these in Reno. They were then disposed of in this washing machine type of machine that processed them in some way into sewage. They were quite sturdy, almost like a very firm paper-mache. They had both urinals and bedpans made of the stuff....I wish I could remember the name of it.

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Specializes in ER.

They are actually quite firm, and hold up well, even under heavier patients. They are used only once, so once they have contact with fluid, they're disposed of.

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I think they're a fabulous idea!

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It is an interesting idea, although I thought it looked like the packaging that they used to protect laptops and stuff.

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Not very cost effective or green, but I toss plastic bedpans in the biohazard instead of rinsing them with the silly shower head thing next to the toilet. The water pressure is impossible to control and after numerous times having to change after taking a poo shower, I refuse to expose myself to that anymore. I think these truly disposable pans sound like a fantastic idea.

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We use these products! They are really fantastic! We have a plastic slipper pan with these pulp insert for bedpans...all of the pulp products are put into a special machine and processed. There are even special wipes that can be processed in the machine!

Our stuff is made by a company called vernacare...I'm a HUGE fan :) except sometimes people put things in that shouldn't go in there and then there's a very big problem!

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

ok, i getit now that i've looked at their site - supposed to be using with a plastic support type thing... is that the norm or is anyone using just the paper pulp bed pan?

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Specializes in ED/ICU/TELEMETRY/LTC.
Hi everyone,

I'm not a nurse, but have a question that I wanted to ask but I'm a bit embarrassed to ask about at the hospital.

My sister just checked in for surgery, and I saw that the hospital uses paper pulp disposable bedpans. Has anyone used these before? I would think that they would just dissolve when they get wet...?

I'd never seen them before, so I'm just curious.

I am not acquainted with them, but I am pretty sure they don't dissolve when they get wet. Just sayin'.

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