Patient turning device for a patient support apparatus

A patient turning system for a mattress having an upper surface opposite a lower surface, the patient turning system comprising:

• a mattress cover for coupling to the mattress, the mattress cover comprising:
• a patient support portion adapted to cover the upper surface of the mattress, the patient support portion sized so a patient is supported on the patient support portion during movement therapy;
• a lower portion coupled to the patient support portion and adapted to cover at least a portion of the lower surface of the mattress;
• and a bottom portion coupled to the lower portion;
• and a plurality of inflatable bladders positioned between the lower portion and the bottom portion with the inflatable bladders in fluid communication with a fluid source and adapted to be selectively inflated to move the mattress away from the bottom portion of the mattress cover to provide the movement therapy, wherein the inflatable bladders are fixedly coupled to the lower portion and positioned in abutment with the bottom portion.

A method for providing movement therapy to a patient supported on a mattress with a first pair of inflatable bladders positioned below a lower surface of the mattress near a head end of the mattress, and a second pair of inflatable bladders positioned below the lower surface of the mattress near a foot end of the mattress and spaced apart from the first pair of inflatable bladders, and a mattress cover substantially encasing the mattress and the inflatable bladders with the mattress cover comprising a patient support portion opposite a bottom portion, the method comprising:

• inflating at least one of the inflatable bladders with fluid from a fluid source in fluid communication with the inflatable bladders to move a portion the patient support portion of the mattress cover and the mattress away from the bottom portion of the mattress cover to provide the movement therapy when the patient is supported on the patient support portion of the mattress cover with the patient positioned such that a sacrum of the patient is positioned intermediate to the first and second pairs of the inflatable bladders;
• sensing with sensors forces from the patient on the patient support portion within a plurality of zones defining the patient support portion;
• determining with a controller in communication with the sensors whether the sensed forces exceed a pressure threshold;
• and
• inflating or deflating one or more of the inflatable bladders to reduce the sensed forces below the pressure threshold.