Written by Hulet Smith, OT
A shower gurney, also known as a shower bed or shower trolley, is a water-resistant, mobile, medical device that allows a caregiver to easily and safely transport a patient with limited body movement into a bathing area like a shower.
Once transferred to the bathing area, the patient will remain lying on the shower gurney while the caregiver tends to their hygiene needs. Some shower gurneys allow the caregiver to bathe the patient on the gurney itself without the use of a bathing area, making them perfect for areas where a medical facility-style bathing area is not available.
In our experience, shower gurneys are all basically designed to accomplish the same task, providing the best and safest way for caregivers to maintain the cleanliness of their patients. There are a variety of features and options that will best meet the specific needs of the patient and caregiver as well as fulfill the physical parameters of the facility or home where the patient resides. Below, we’ve provided a list of the features you should consider before purchasing a shower gurney.
First things first, we know a shower gurney must have strong and water-resistant material for both the frame and pad construction. Many shower gurney frames are built with heavy-duty, yet lightweight, water-resistant PVC pipe that is chip- and scratch-resistant, while other gurney frames are designed for strength, constructed with powder-coated stainless steel or a combination of both stainless steel and zinc-plated steel.
Shower gurneys often include waterproof, closed-cell foam pads with drainage holes that allow water to drain directly onto the shower floor. Alternatively, some designs are configured with a drain pan to catch the wastewater and direct it with a flexible drainage hose located beneath the stretcher into a floor drain hole or toilet. Either way, most designs direct water away from the patient to ensure comfort and cleanliness.
In addition to ensuring an enjoyable showering experience for both patient and caregiver, shower gurneys need to be easy to clean themselves so that they never get in the way of the user’s cleanliness. We offer several gurneys with splash guards on the side rails that enable the patient to be bathed inside the shower gurney, and some include pads that are designed to be easy to clean while also inhibiting bacterial growth.
Since a major component of a shower gurney’s function is mobility, determining the right type of waterproof casters to suit your needs is important. All shower gurney casters highlight no-rust capabilities for long-lasting use in wet environments and come in different sizes from 5-inch Tente casters to robust 7.87-diameter casters that allow the gurney to be transported safely over different surfaces.
Additionally, for increased versatility, some gurneys have a combination of two braking casters and two straight-steering castors to provide both easy traveling and a secure stationary platform. We’ve noticed that gurneys that have higher weight capacities might also include middle casters to help eliminate central sagging and increase maneuverability.
In our experience, most shower gurneys feature a weight capacity of at least 300 pounds or more, but a variety of options feature weight capacities ranging from 374 pounds, 450 pounds, and even up to 600 or 1000 pounds to best fit the needs of each unique patient.
Regardless of your final choice, it's important to select a gurney that is rated for a weight capacity significantly higher than your patient's normal weight range, allowing space for regular fluctuations.
Side rails are another important safety consideration for a shower gurney, as gurneys are used to transport patients over longer distances through a facility or home. Side rails are designed to keep patients safely within the borders of the gurney’s surface and are often curved to provide support without their edges harming the patient or the caregiver. We know they are also usually able to fold or slide down out of the way for easy patient transfer, and can then be brought back up and locked for secure containment.
Additionally, we also see that some shower gurneys include a side-mounted column that allows the gurney to be brought flush up to the bed height and overlap with the bed mattress. This enables the rails to either be lowered or tilted out flat on the bed to provide an even surface for the caregiver to safely slide the patient onto the shower gurney. Wider bariatric gurneys have rails that will fold inward to reduce the width of the gurney so that it can more easily fit through narrow doorways.
Some models of shower gurneys are height adjustable, either by using a manual hydraulic system or with electric/battery-operated hand pendants or foot control pedals and bars that cater to the caregiver’s preference. We love that some gurneys also offer the ability to tilt the gurney, including Trendelenburg positioning, providing the patient and caregiver with added comfort, and facilitating fluid drainage.
To provide extra patient comfort and enhanced water drainage from the head of the gurney, some shower gurneys provide the added option of a three-position or five-position elevated headrest. We prefer these, as this allows the patient to view the surrounding area to keep the water away from the nose and mouth while bathing.
In addition to those features common to most if not all shower gurneys, a variety of specific accessories and features are available to choose from, ensuring a shower gurney choice that will best meet the needs of the facility, caregiver, and most importantly, the patient.
A folding shower gurney includes ends that fold up to shorten the bed length to a mere 42 inches, saving up to nine square feet of storage space when it’s not being used. We agree that the foldable design makes it perfect for use in smaller facilities or for a home environment when space is limited.
Additionally, for battery-operated adjustable gurneys, we encourage you to check if the battery is embedded into the gurney and is chargeable via a magnetic battery charger connection or if it can be removed for remote charging might be important when considering the room’s electrical set-up.
If the intended user of the shower gurney is using medications dispensed by an intravenous pole system, many shower gurneys offer a mounting bracket to keep the pole and bag in place. Often utilized in hospitals, IV mounting brackets provide patients with a dedicated space for the continuous flow of medications and other life-saving fluids.
Positioning pillows for certain medical conditions often aids in showering and bathing activities. Not just for sleeping support, wedge pillows come in 15 or 30-degree angles to optimize patient comfort while using a shower gurney. Wedge pillows can help to reduce GERD and acid reflux, clear congestion, mitigate swelling and edema, and alleviate pain in the neck, shoulders, and back.
As OTs, we understand that providing caregivers with a safe and discreet way to administer personal hygiene to their patients is vital for both the caregiver and the patient. Keeping the patient clean is important in preventing and combating illness as well as being essential for their self-esteem, while the ability to accomplish this task with safe, quick, and easy facilitation is beneficial for the caregiver, while also maintaining the comfort of the patient.
A bedridden person may often find it difficult to maintain their personal hygiene standards by themselves and will, therefore, require the assistance of a caregiver. Using a shower gurney is a well-proven, safe, and more enjoyable alternative for bathing a person than performing a bed bath, or causing possible harm by having to manually move them to a shower stall or bathtub.
In our experience, using a shower gurney is easy for both the caregiver and the patient. The gurney is simply rolled up next to the bed and then brought to the same height as the patient’s mattress. This can either be accomplished by adjusting the height of the gurney or by adjusting the height of the bed depending on the features of each. Once the height of the two surfaces is leveled, the patient can then safely be transferred from one to the other either independently or with the assistance of a slide sheet or other transfer device. Once the transfer is complete, the patient, while still lying flat, can then be safely transported into a shower area.
Making our list with its affordable price point and easy in-bed use, the EZ-BATHE Inflatable Body Washing Basin by EZ-ACCESS provides dependable bathing support for a wide range of immobile patients. Simply unroll this deflated body washing basin and place it underneath the patient on top of the bed. The long, wide, and deep EZ-ACCESS bathing system includes a 2-gallon wet/dry vacuum to quickly inflate and deflate the heavy-duty vinyl basin. A 25-foot hose with a handheld shower head attaches to a standard sink tap for filling, while a 25-foot drain hose empties the water into a standard sink drain. Its double-tube design helps to prevent splashes and spillovers.
We’ve included the Heavy Duty Bariatric Shower Trolley - Atlas TR 4000 by TR Equipment for its battery-powered height and tilt adjustability and generous 1,000-pound weight capacity - but its many design attributes don’t stop there. Available in two different widths, this uniquely versatile shower trolley from TR Equipment can also be used as a stretcher for bariatric patient transport, as a patient changing table, and for many other applications. Its 8-inch casters deliver smooth-rolling maneuverability on a variety of surfaces, and all four casters come with locking brakes to ensure secure stoppage while bathing. This deluxe bathing system includes side rails, a wedge positioning pillow, and an innovative dual-drainage configuration.
Similar in design to the EZ-Bathe, the RimAir Light Inflatable Bathing and Shower System highlights a universal hose attachment with a gentle shower head, taking a spot on our list for its affordability as well. The complete system from Great Life Healthcare includes a waterproof barrier underneath the basin to guard against leakage onto bedding, an inflatable head pillow for hair washing, and a showerhead that maintains gentle water pressure that won’t irritate or abrade the fragile skin. The included drainage hose directs the dirty water away from the bath and straight into the desired drainage area without any splashing or mess. Ideal for transport with its lightweight, flat design (when it’s not inflated), the RimAir components can be purchased separately for convenient replacement parts when needed.
Added to our review for its add-on option of adjustable back support offering 3 levels of recline, the Concerto Height-Adjustable Shower Trolley by ArjoHuntleigh is suitable for both professional healthcare and in-home settings. Available as the Basic Concerto offering manual/hydraulic operation or the Electric Concerto which offers rechargeable battery-powered operation, both deliver height adjustability to ensure comfortable caregiver ergonomics. Extended-length and pediatric models are also available. The innovative full-tilt design feature allows for a full dumping of the shower trolley. Helping to ease transitions, its foldable side supports also prevent patients from sliding off the gurney’s top. All four casters come with locking brakes to ensure showering and bathing safety.
Ideal for small spaces, the IPU Mobile Foldable Shower Bed also makes our review for its strong, non-rusting furniture-grade PVC pipe construction. Easy to clean and maintain, this shower gurney from IPU (Innovative Products Unlimited) is as sturdy and durable as steel, but with half the weight. Popular with both home users and healthcare professionals, its foldable, collapsible design can save up to almost 9 square feet of space! Four lockable, non-corrosive 5-inch German-engineered Tente casters add high performance for optimal mobility. Lockable, adjustable handrails further enhance patient safety, while a slightly elevated, integrated headrest maximizes patient comfort.
People who are bedridden or have mobility limitations due to age, disease, accident, injury, or surgery benefit from having continued good personal hygiene, and we know a shower gurney is the perfect way to ensure this hygiene is maintained.
The many different styles of shower gurneys offer a functional and safe washing environment for both the patient and caregiver, while also fitting easily within the parameters of the medical facility or home. Everybody deserves to feel clean, and using a shower gurney is a safe and easy way to maintain personal hygiene for anyone who needs mobility assistance.
Thank you for reading this article! We hope it helps you select the right shower gurney. You can also check out similar shower gurneys if you’re interested in viewing additional choices we offer.
If you’re a caregiver reading this article, you can find more helpful information on how to effectively provide support and assistance at Caregiver University.
Co-founder/CEO of Rehabmart, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, husband, and father. Passionate about connecting special needs kids with superb nutrition, sensory integration, and complementary health strategies. Excited about Rehabmart's mission to become the premier online educational platform which empowers caregivers by spotlighting innovative devices and interventions to achieve optimal patient response and recovery.
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