A height adjustable bassinet with two height adjustable columns and associated assist cylinders. The bassinet includes a height adjustment assembly to operate the assist cylinders from manual actuators, such as paddles, located approximately in four corners of the bassinet support surface. The height adjustment system may include a pair of paddle assemblies mounted under the bassinet support surface. The paddle assemblies may be coupled to the assist cylinder by a dual linkage that translates pivotal movement of any individual paddle into movement sufficient to simultaneously actuate both assist cylinders. The dual linkage may include a pair of drive rods coupled to a pair of actuator rods by a plurality of pivot arms. The pivot arms may be generally “L” shaped and arranged in a rectangular configuration so that each drive rod is operatively coupled to two pivot arms and each actuator rods is operatively coupled to two pivot arms.