Reference:
Rush, K.L., Robey-Williams, C., Patton, L.M., Chamberlain, D., Bendyk, H., & Sparks, T. (2009). Patients falls: acute care nurses' experiences. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 18(3), 357-365.
Monday, 28 March 2011
Fall Prevention in Acute Health Care Settings
The topic of fall prevention has been very personal to me as a nurse. As we all know that people go to the hospital to get help but at times they fell and get injured and suffer the consequences even die from the complications. I decided to discuss and share how falls can be prevented in acute settings like hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. Many falls happen when people are sick and admitted in hospitals due to change of environments, side effects to medication and other physiological stress that cause confusion. The falls that are reported from the hospitals are one of the leading cause of premature death for people older than 65 years old. It may sounds simple when we talk about fall prevention, but preventing these falls is a challenge for nursing staff. Many strategies has been implemented in different hospitals but everyday more than one to two patients happen to be a victims of falls. Guiding and educating all health care professionals and nursing students in fall prevention programs is the best defeat to prevent and reduce falls in acute health care settings. Rush, Williams, Patton, Chamberlin, Bendyk & Sparks (2009) reported that research has shown that nurse and other health care professionals lack the awareness of fall rates, significant risk factors and fall reduction interventions. If fall preventions saves lives, what should nurse educators implement in the their teaching curriculum about fall prevention? Is it important to teach this topic in nursing schools?
Reference:
Rush, K.L., Robey-Williams, C., Patton, L.M., Chamberlain, D., Bendyk, H., & Sparks, T. (2009). Patients falls: acute care nurses' experiences. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 18(3), 357-365.
Reference:
Rush, K.L., Robey-Williams, C., Patton, L.M., Chamberlain, D., Bendyk, H., & Sparks, T. (2009). Patients falls: acute care nurses' experiences. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 18(3), 357-365.
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Good topic Ella. That is very useful in the long run and is a constant safety problem especially to older patients. We have to be aware of their abilities and safety. Looking forwarf to see more.
ReplyDeleteTeaching student nurses ways to prevent falls is very helpful for patient's safety in the hospitals during practicum. Nursing students must be aware of fall prevention programs in acute health care facility as it takes everyone who work with patients to prevent falls.
ReplyDeleteEveryday nurses in different hospitals have many patient falls and they do not have a fall risk tool that works or the fall risk tool that are currently using does not work. I wonder what fall risk tools are you utilizing to prevent falls in your facility? Does it work?
ReplyDeleteThe Morse Fall Scale (MFS) is a rapid and simple method of assessing a patient's likelihood of falling. The MFS is used widely in acute care settings.
ReplyDeleteMorse Fall Scale Assessment Tool is commonly tool used for fall assessment. MFS uses variable descriptions and scoring hints such as:
ReplyDeleteHistory of falling
Ambulatory aid
IV or IV Access
Gait
Mental status
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ReplyDeletePrevention of falls in hospital settings is an important patient safety measure. Every acute health care setting must identify the patients at risk for falls to prevent or minimize patient falls and injuries while hospitalization.Nurses must accurately assess all patients and their environments for risk factors for falls
ReplyDeleteElla,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very good topic. For one of our earlier courses, I researched preventing falls in the community. Until I stumbled onto the topic, I always thought about falls in institutions. Tai Chi for everybody!
Barbara
Barbara,
ReplyDeleteThere are many falls that happen in our community and many people suffer the consequences from these falls. It is very difficult to account for falls in the community. Educating people in the community for fall prevention is the best way.