10 Equipment Mistakes to Avoid in Your Nursing Home

A hoist awaiting repair. A damaged mattress cover. A chair that no longer provides the support a resident needs. Equipment issues can develop gradually and become easy to overlook in a busy nursing home.

For managers and owners, the challenge is keeping equipment safe, suitable and available while balancing staff workloads and budgets. Clear responsibilities, routine checks and planned maintenance help prevent small problems from disrupting care.

This article highlights ten equipment mistakes to watch for, with practical steps to help you manage them throughout the year.

1. Treating servicing and safety examinations as the same thing

A serviced hoist is not necessarily up to date with its thorough examination. These are separate requirements, and your maintenance arrangements should account for both.

In Northern Ireland, HSENI states that lifting equipment and accessories such as slings must undergo thorough examination at least every six months. Routine servicing should also follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. HSENI guidance for nursing and care homes

In the Republic of Ireland, HSA guidance similarly specifies thorough examination of patient hoists and slings by a competent person at least every six months. HSA guidance on work equipment

What managers can do: Record servicing and thorough examination dates separately. Assign responsibility for arranging visits and following up any defects identified.

2. Allowing damaged furniture to remain in use

A loose chair arm or unstable bedside cabinet may initially look like a minor maintenance issue. However, residents may lean on furniture when sitting, standing or reaching for personal belongings.

Look out for loose fittings, damaged upholstery, unstable units and drawers or doors that no longer operate properly.

What managers can do: Include furniture in routine room checks. Give staff a straightforward way to report damage, and track each issue through to repair or replacement.

3. Assuming a pressure care mattress remains suitable indefinitely

A mattress that met a resident’s needs on admission may become unsuitable as their condition changes.

Pressure ulcer risk should be reassessed when there is a change in clinical status, including changes in mobility. Equipment selection should form part of the resident’s wider prevention and care plan. NICE pressure ulcer guidance

What managers can do: Ensure the appropriate clinician reviews pressure care provision when needs change. Check mattress and cushion condition, confirm settings follow the care plan and manufacturer’s instructions, and make sure staff know how to respond to faults or alarms.

4. Overlooking damage that makes cleaning difficult

Cleaning procedures depend on equipment being in a condition that allows staff to clean it effectively.

Torn mattress covers, cracked commode surfaces and damaged upholstery should prompt closer inspection. A cleaning schedule alone cannot resolve a damaged surface.

What managers can do: Ask staff to report damage during cleaning as well as during care. Make decisions about repair, replacement or removal from use in line with the manufacturer’s instructions and your infection prevention procedures.

5. Keeping records without tracking the follow-up

An inspection report may identify a defect, but the record is only part of the process. Managers also need to know what happened next.

Can you establish which item was affected, whether it remained in use, who arranged the repair and when the issue was resolved?

What managers can do: Use a central equipment register with a unique identifier for each relevant item. Link maintenance reports, repairs and outstanding actions to that identifier, with an owner and target date for follow-up.

This makes it easier to see what needs attention and provide evidence of completed work.

6. Failing to review equipment as residents’ needs change

Equipment can be in good working order and still be unsuitable for the person using it.

Changes in mobility, posture, weight or cognition may affect the suitability of seating, walking aids, shower chairs and moving and handling equipment.

Compatibility also matters. For example, changing a mattress can affect its relationship with the bed and bed rails, creating potential entrapment risks. MHRA guidance on bed rail safety

What managers can do: Build equipment reviews into care planning and seek appropriate professional assessment when needs change. Check compatibility before combining or substituting equipment.

7. Leaving faulty equipment where it can be used again

Putting a faulty wheelchair to one side or attaching a handwritten note may not prevent it from being used during a busy shift.

Unsafe equipment should be taken out of service and sent for repair or replaced as appropriate. HSA guidance on work equipment

What managers can do: Establish a clear process for identifying, labelling and separating equipment awaiting repair. Make sure staff know how to obtain a suitable alternative and who can authorise an item’s return to use.

Keep storage areas organised so clean, available equipment is easy to distinguish from items awaiting cleaning or repair.

8. Missing small defects in mobility equipment

Walking frames and wheelchairs can receive frequent use across several shifts. Without clear responsibility for checks, wear can go unreported.

Items to check include:

• Worn ferrules on walking aids
• Wheelchair brakes that do not hold securely
• Loose or damaged footplates
• Damaged wheels or castors
• Loose handles or fittings

What managers can do: Set out who checks mobility equipment, what they should look for and how faults are reported. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when deciding the checks required.

9. Assuming staff know how to use every model

Experience with one hoist, bed or mattress system does not automatically mean a staff member is competent to use another.

Different controls, attachments and alarm functions can create uncertainty, particularly when equipment is newly introduced or used infrequently.

What managers can do: Include equipment training in induction and when new models arrive. Check practical competence, keep instructions accessible and arrange refreshers where needed. Include agency and temporary staff in these arrangements.

Staff should also know the limits of their role and when to seek help.

10. Waiting for a breakdown before planning replacement

Budgets are under pressure, and replacing equipment before it is necessary is difficult to justify. However, waiting until an essential item fails can leave managers with fewer options and an urgent purchasing decision.

Repeated faults, growing repair costs, unavailable spare parts and deterioration affecting hygiene or safety should trigger a replacement review.

What managers can do: Maintain a rolling replacement plan based on condition, reliability, suitability and service history. Prioritise essential equipment and consider how care would continue if an item became unavailable.

When comparing options, include maintenance, training, consumables and parts availability alongside the purchase price.

A practical equipment checklist for managers and owners

Use these questions to guide your next review:

• Are servicing and thorough examinations up to date?
• Can we trace reported faults through to resolution?
• Is unsafe equipment clearly removed from use?
• Are furniture and equipment surfaces in good condition?
• Does equipment meet each resident’s current assessed needs?
• Have compatibility checks been completed where equipment is used together?
• Do staff know how to operate the equipment and report concerns?
• Is storage organised and suitable for the equipment?
• Is there a prioritised replacement plan?
• Could we maintain care if an essential item became unavailable?

Give any gaps a named owner and an agreed completion date. A checklist is most useful when it leads to action.

Make equipment management part of everyday care

Good equipment management supports resident comfort, staff confidence and more predictable spending. It also makes it easier to demonstrate how your home identifies and addresses risks when an inspection takes place.

The aim is to keep equipment suitable for the people using it, maintain it properly and act promptly when something changes.

At S&E CareTrade, we support nursing homes across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with equipment supply, servicing, product training and furniture planning.

If you are reviewing ageing equipment, planning replacements or looking for support with maintenance, contact our team to discuss your home’s requirements.