Emesis basin

An emesis basin is a shallow basin with a kidney-shaped footprint and sloping walls (hence its alternate name, the kidney basin). Various sizes of emesis basin are a common sight in healthcare settings, including facilities such as nursing homes that may have bedridden patients.

Contrary to its name, emesis basins are not usually used for vomiting, as the depth, size, and sloping walls all contribute to spilling or splashing the vomit rather than catching it. For this purpose, a plastic bag or wash basin is often preferred, especially by ambulance crews who may need to receive the vomit while driving rapidly, and then hand it over for analysis.

Emesis basins are suited for more controlled situations. When washing out a small wound, for example, sometimes the wash water is applied from above with an emesis basin held underneath to catch the runoff. The inner rim helps to conform to the curve of the body.