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What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting loss of multiple bed motions caused by power, lockouts, controls, obstructions, connections, battery condition, or control-system faults.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Ensure Patient Safety and Stabilize Care
Do not troubleshoot an unreliable bed-motion system while a patient depends on it for positioning, transfer, pressure management, or emergency care.
Notify clinical staff. Move the patient to another verified bed when practical. If immediate transfer is unsafe, maintain the safest available position, keep the brakes set, and prevent staff from repeatedly commanding motion.
Expected outcome: The patient is protected from unintended movement, entrapment, delayed repositioning, or loss of required care.
2. Confirm the Scope of the Motion Failure
Determine whether:
All powered motions are unavailable.
Only height adjustment is unavailable.
Head, knee, or foot sections are also affected.
Controls respond from one location but not another.
Motors can be heard even though the frame does not move.
Motion starts and stops intermittently.
The failure occurs only on battery power.
Expected outcome: The problem is identified as a total motion failure, control-location problem, power issue, lockout, or isolated mechanical condition.
3. Verify AC and Battery Power
Confirm that the bed is connected to a verified outlet and recognizes AC power.
Inspect the power cord and plug for visible damage. Check battery status and determine whether the problem changes when the bed is connected to AC power.
Expected outcome: Stable power is available. If reconnecting to verified AC restores all motion, evaluate the backup-power system separately and stop frame troubleshooting after functional verification.
4. Check Motion Lockouts
Inspect the caregiver controls for active function lockouts.
Confirm whether height, head, knee, foot, or other motion controls have been intentionally disabled. Clear only appropriate user-accessible lockouts after confirming with clinical staff.
Expected outcome: Required motion functions are enabled. If removing an unintended lockout restores normal operation, verify all applicable controls and stop troubleshooting.
5. Test Each Control Location
Test motion from the available caregiver side-rail controls, patient controls, pendant, and any other normal external control location.
Do not repeatedly hold a control that produces abnormal sound, binding, or unintended movement.
Expected outcome:
If one control location works, the motion system is functional and the issue is isolated to a control or connection.
If no control location works, continue evaluating common power, lockout, or control-system causes.
6. Inspect for External Obstructions
Inspect beneath and around the bed for:
Equipment, cords, tubing, furniture, or linens blocking movement.
A frame component contacting the floor or wall.
Items trapped in the lift or articulation path.
The bed positioned too close to fixed room equipment.
Loads or accessories interfering with movement.
Remove obstructions without placing hands inside pinch points or under an unsupported frame.
Expected outcome: All motion paths are clear. If removing an obstruction restores motion, inspect for damage and perform repeated controlled tests before stopping.
7. Inspect External Controls and Connections
Inspect side-rail controls, pendant, external cables, and accessible connectors for damage, contamination, looseness, or pinching.
Pay particular attention to cables routed near moving joints or side-rail pivots. Reseat only externally accessible connectors permitted by approved procedures.
Expected outcome: External controls and connections are intact and secure. If reseating an accessible connection restores all motion, verify reliable operation throughout the normal range.
8. Reduce Nonessential Load and Reposition Safely
Remove unnecessary equipment or accessories that may be adding load or causing interference.
Confirm that no staff member, equipment cart, or room fixture is resisting bed movement. Do not exceed the bed’s approved capacity or attempt to force movement manually.
Expected outcome: The bed moves normally without external resistance. If motion remains unavailable, continue troubleshooting.
9. Observe Motion Commands and Sounds
From a safe position, briefly command each affected function and observe:
Whether control indicators respond.
Whether a relay or motor sound is present.
Whether motion begins and stops.
Whether one direction works but the opposite direction does not.
Whether the display resets or dims during commands.
Stop immediately for grinding, burning odor, smoke, excessive heat, structural movement, or uncontrolled motion.
Expected outcome: The observations help distinguish a control-input failure from power loss, actuator loading, or a service-level mechanical problem.
10. Perform Final Functional Verification
After correcting an external cause, test each powered motion from appropriate control locations.
Confirm smooth movement, normal stopping, absence of obstruction, stable power, and proper lockout operation. Perform testing without a patient and according to facility return-to-service requirements.
Expected outcome: The bed raises, lowers, and articulates reliably. Troubleshooting can stop after successful verification.
11. Escalate an Unresolved Motion Failure
Remove the bed from service when required motion remains unavailable, movement is intermittent, abnormal sound is present, or safe positioning cannot be guaranteed.
Label the bed Out of Service and send it for bench evaluation.
Expected outcome: An unreliable motion system is not returned to clinical use.
If the Problem Persists
Power, lockouts, external controls, accessible connections, obstructions, positioning, and excess load have been ruled out. The remaining cause may involve internal control electronics, power distribution, wiring, multiple actuators, frame mechanics, or a service-level configuration issue.
The bed should be removed from service, labeled Out of Service, and evaluated using appropriate Stryker documentation and approved test equipment. Repair or configuration should be completed only by qualified personnel. Full motion, lockout, structural, and safety testing is required before return to service.
Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting and escalate is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Move the patient to another verified bed before testing multiple frame motions or placing hands near articulation points.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Nursing reported that the InTouch bed would not raise, lower, or articulate from any control location."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found that all motion functions had been unintentionally locked out at the caregiver control panel."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering cleared the lockouts with nursing approval and verified full frame motion from the caregiver controls without abnormal operation."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Motions affected.
- Control locations tested.
- AC and battery status.
- Lockout indicators observed.
- Obstructions or accessories found.
- External cable and connector condition.
- Motor, relay, grinding, or clicking sounds.
- Whether one direction operated.
- Whether the display reset during motion commands.
- Final motion and lockout test results.
Final Thought
Protect the patient, verify power and lockouts before assuming multiple component failures, inspect the complete external motion path, and remove the bed from service when reliable movement cannot be confirmed.
That is successful troubleshooting.