BEHIND THE SCREENINGS

" SLIPS, TRIPS, & FALL TIPS" Part 1

To better understand your fall related cases, it’s important to understand why they most often occur.

Common Causes:

Ø Failing to appropriately identify that a patient is at risk for falling= is there a history of falling? Impaired mobility or gait? Medications like sedatives and blood pressure can be related to falls. Do they use assistive devices? Failing to ask/answer these questions appropriately can contribute to falls.

Ø Medications=There are numerous forms of medications that can impair a patients’ awareness and judgment. Not being aware of the side effects caused by the medications being administered can contribute to patient falls.

Ø Nutrition and Hydration=Is the patient hydrated? Eating properly? Poor nutrition and dehydration can cause impaired reactions, decreased muscle tone and strength loss which effect a patients’ ability to maintain balance and steady ambulation.

Ø Environmental Factors=poor lighting can make it more difficulty for a patient to catch themselves or avoid hazards like clutter, cords, or equipment in their path.

Ø Failure to implement interventions= Forgetting to put up the side rails, locking the bed, place the call light in reach, turning the bed alarm on, not performing frequent rounds, or having the patient closer to the nurses’ station play a large role in falls.

"Is your case load full of slips, trips, and broken hips?"

Join us for part 2, when we discuss how to identify who is a fall risk.

Have you met Cassandra?

Cassandra is the owner of BGA Legal Nurse Consultants. She is a RN and Legal Nurse Consultant without over 20 years of nursing experience in various hospital, outpatient, & ambulatory settings. Her diverse training and knowledge of mechanisms of injury, monitoring systems, fall risk assessments & interventions lends credence to her expertise in understanding and analyzing falls and the injuries that occur from them. As a former RN Safety Officer and Injury Prevention Coordinator, Cassandra has been an advocate for patient safety throughout her healthcare professional career.

Click above to use Cassandra for your next fall case?