A patient support apparatus includes a base frame, lift mechanism supporting an upper frame relative to the base frame, a load frame, and a plurality of deck sections, a patient support surface, and a number of barriers positioned about the patient supporting surface. The patient support apparatus includes a notification system for visually notifying a caregiver of a condition or status of a component of the patient support apparatus.

A patient support apparatus includes a base frame, lift mechanism supporting an upper frame relative to the base frame, a load frame, and a plurality of deck sections, a patient support surface, and a number of barriers positioned about the patient supporting surface. The patient support apparatus includes a notification system for visually notifying a caregiver of a condition or status of a component of the patient support apparatus.

A patient support apparatus comprises a support structure, a user module, and a controller. The user module comprises a display and indicator panel that has a plurality of indicia, each associated with a monitored condition. First light emitters are arranged to project light to illuminate the indicia and second light emitters are arranged to project light off a reflective surface. The controller is coupled to the display and the light emitters, and is configured to, in response to a change in a state of one of the monitored conditions, generate on the display a state indicator corresponding to the change in the state and activate the light emitters such that a color of the light projected by the light emitters matches a color of the state indicator.

A patient support apparatus, such as a hospital bed, communicates with an electronic medical record (EMR) system in healthcare facility. The hospital bed includes a patient support structure to support a patient, a graphical user interface coupled to the patient support structure, and control circuitry coupled to the graphical user interface. The graphical user interface displays at least one input that may be used by a caregiver to chart data into an electronic medical record (EMR) of a patient supported by the patient support structure.

A patient support apparatus, such as a hospital bed, communicates with an electronic medical record (EMR) system in healthcare facility. The hospital bed includes a patient support structure to support a patient, a graphical user interface coupled to the patient support structure, and control circuitry coupled to the graphical user interface. The graphical user interface displays at least one input that may be used by a caregiver to chart data into an electronic medical record (EMR) of a patient supported by the patient support structure.

A patient support apparatus, such as a hospital bed, includes an alert light assembly or an alert light module having separate zones that are individually illuminated to convey information regarding respective alert conditions. The zones each have indicia related to a particular condition of the patient support apparatus. The illuminated zones are each sufficiently large so as to be seen from afar, such as on the order of ten feet or more. Alternatively or additionally, a GUI of the patient support apparatus displays alert indicia as part of a screen saver. Further alternatively or additionally, the patient support apparatus illuminates an alert light in a manner indicating an optimal time for taking a patient's vital signs.

A patient support apparatus may include a support surface, a nurse call interface, a nurse call control, a second control, and a controller. The nurse call interface communicatively couples to a multi-pin nurse call cable. The nurse call control calls a remote caregiver. The second control is adapted to be activated by a patient or locally-positioned caregiver. The controller changes an electrical state of a first pin of the cable in response to activation of the nurse call control and changes an electrical state of a second pin in response to activation of the second control. Alternatively, or additionally, the controller may change a dynamic label for the second control in response to a triggering condition, and/or communicate data with the nurse call system that defines whether activation of a particular control of the patient support apparatus will carry out a first or second function.