After returning to the room from using a bedpan, what is the first action you should take?

• A. Lower the head of the bed while holding bed pan
• B. Roll the resident off the bedpan
• C. Place bedpan with barrier on bed, chair, or per facility policy
• D. Observe contents of bedpan and empty

Answer: (A)

The first priority is patient safety and comfort, which starts with stabilizing the bed and the bedpan. Lowering the head of the bed while you continue to hold or support the bedpan helps prevent spills or splashing and reduces the risk of the bedpan tipping while you reposition or remove it. Once the bed is in a safe, comfortable position and the bedpan is stable, you can place it on a barrier or overbed surface per policy and proceed with handling the contents as required. Rolling the resident off the bedpan would be unsafe and uncomfortable, and observing or emptying the bedpan comes after securing a safe position and stable bedpan.