Can I use the AHA asset depreciation table as a guide to hospital mattress life?
No. While the AHA depreciation guidance for mattress life is five years,57 often the manufacturer’s stated expected life of a healthcare mattress, the expected life for most mattress covers is one to three years. The AHA depreciation table does not distinguish between the cover and the mattress. Additionally, mattresses can be damaged from disinfectants and routine use, and many may not reach the expected 5-year life.56,58,59
FOLLOW-UP: Review your user manual or contact the mattress manufacturer to determine expected life of the mattress and mattress cover.
References
56. Bradbury SL, Mack D, Crofts T, Ellison RT. Potential bloodborne pathogen exposure from occult mattress damage. Am J Infect Control. 2014;42(4):421-422. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2013.10.011
57. Estimated Useful Lives of Depreciable Hospital Assets. American Hospital Association. 2018. Nursing departments:p14;table 7
58. Hooker EA. Damaged hospital mattresses and bed frames are common in acute care hospitals. Poster Presentation at SHEA Spring Conference, April 14-16, 2021.
59. Marks B, de Haas E, Abboud T, Lam I, Datta IN. Uncovering the rates of damaged patient bed and stretcher mattresses in Canadian acute care hospitals. Can J Infect Control. 2018;33(3):171-175.