Fall Prevention

c
 Fall Prevention Program

c It is everyone·s responsibility to
provide a safe environment for
patients.
c Fall prevention is one aspect of
patient safety.
 Fall Prevention Program

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 j at is a fall?

c A fall is defined according to t e facility

or ospital policy.
c Sparks Regional Medical Center policy
defines a fall as an unplanned descent to
t e floor wit or wit out injury to t e
patient.
Fall Prevention

Educating patients
potential for
falling w ile
ospitalized is
very important.
 Fall Prevention Program

c Falls among ospital inpatients are

common among t e elderly patients.
c Patients w o fall incur serious p ysical
injuries, 10% result in fractures,
subdural ematomas, and even deat .
 Fall Prevention Program

c Injuries due to falls increase ealt care

costs.
c Patients t at sustain injury ave
approximately ospital c arges over
$5,600 ig er t at t ose patients w o do
not fall.
 Fall Prevention Program

Prevention of
falls in ospital
settings is an
important
patient safety
measure.
 Fall Prevention Program

Every acute ealt

care setting must
identify t e patients at
risk for falls to
prevent or minimize
patient falls and injuries
w ile ospitalization.
 Fall Prevention Program

c
Nurses must accurately
assess all patients and
t eir environments for
risk factors for falls.
 Fall Risk Assessment

c Fall assessment must be performed upon

admission to identify risk factors suc as:
c Cognitive dysfunction
c Dementia
c Impaired Mobility
c Medications
c Environmental
Fall Risk Assessment continues

c Y


 

c n daily basis, on every s ift
c j en patient·s condition c anges
c j en patient·s medication regimen c anges
c j en patient is transferred to anot er unit
c After a fall
 Fall Prevention Program

c Identifying causes and risk factors of falls is

very important.
c Falls may be caused by environmental or
p ysiologic factors.
c Eig t percent of falls can·t be predicted nor
prevented.
c And 78 percent are anticipated and
identified t roug fall risk assessment.
 Fall Prevention Program

c  Y 

c Instruct patients to request assistance as
needed
c Keep rooms & allways clear of obstacles.
c Place assistive devices (if needed) suc as
walkers and canes wit in a patient·s reac .
c Do not leave at-risk patients unattended in
diagnostic or treatment areas.
 Fall Prevention Program

c  Y 

c Communicate t e patient·s at-risk status wit
ot er disciplines as appropriate.
c Inform & educate patients & family
members regarding plan of care to prevent
falls.
c Raise t e side rails as appropriate for access
to bed controls, support and repositioning.
 Fall Prevention Program

c ï
    

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c j at fall risk tool are you using ?
c Does it work?
Fall Prevention
Fall Prevention Program

T e Morse Fall Scale

(MFS) is a rapid and
simple met od of assessing a
patient·s likeli ood
of falling. T e MFS is used widely
in acute care settings.
 Fall Prevention Program

c Morse Fall Scale Assessment Tool is commonly tool

used for fall assessment.
c It uses variable descriptions and scoring ints suc as:
c History of falling
c Ambulatory aid
c IV or IV Access
c Gait
c Mental status
Note: copy of Morse fall assessment tool is in appendix A.
 Fall Prevention

c —Y

  


 

c Make ourly rounds
c Teac patients to call for elp
c Place call lig t, water, tras can,
remote control wit in reac
 Fall Prevention

c Place any fall prevention devices to

ig risk fall patients
c Position t e bed to t e lowest
position.
c Leave t e room free from clutter.
c Answer call lig t promptly.
 Fall Prevention Program
Summary

c Inpatient falls are persistent problem in

ospital. Many studies suggest t at many
complex patient c aracteristics, circumstances,
activities contribute to falls.
c Determining fall risk factors increase patient safety.
c Placing interventions in place decrease incidents for
falls.
c Staff education increase fall prevention awareness.
 Fall Prevention Program

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Fall Prevention Program

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 References:

c Gluck, T., jietntjes, H. J., & Rai, G, S. (2005). An evaluation of risk

factors for in-patient falls in acute and re abilitation elderly care wards.
è
, 42, 104-107.

c Morse, J.M. (2002). En ancing t e safety of ospitalization by reducing

patient falls. —

 

  0(6),  76- 80.

c Salgado, R., Lord, S.R., Packer, J., & E rlic , F. (1994). Factors
associated wit falling I elderly ospital patients. è
, 40(2 ),  25-
  1.

c Sparks Regional Medical Center (2010). Patient safety policy, Retrieved

from www.sparks ealt .com
 Fall Prevention Program

c Contact information:
c Ndaipamo Ella Pangani
c ndaipamoellapan@kaplan.edu