Introduction
Inpatient falls are reportedly one of the major issues for healthcare facilities. This is attributed to the fact that patients can sustain bad injuries that can result in death. If preventive measures are not taken, hospitals can incur more expenses that result from increased need for follow-up care, additional surgery or diagnostic protocols as well as prolonged patient length of stay at the hospital. The rate of inpatient fall is increasing considerably in some hospitals due to poor fall prevention tools. It is estimated that its rate is between 3 and 13.3 falls per a thousand bed days. This paper provides a plan that will play a critical role in minimizing the rate of in-patient falls in our hospitals.
Prevention measures
The following are some of the prevention measures that could be taken by the hospital in its attempt to reduce inpatient falls:
- Putting the signs “please Call, Don’t fall” in patients’ rooms
- Closely supervising the patients as well as checking the patients after every 2 hours or more as required
- Putting a blue armband around the patient
- Having the care outcome section completed as well as encompassing “the patient will be safe from injuries or falls”
- Utilising a patient sitter was suitable as well as preparing a discussion with a licensed practitioner or physician
- Adopt the procedure for agitated/confused patients
- Putting agitated or confused patients in places where they can easily be observed
- Initiating the alarm system in the patients’ beds
- Carrying out physical therapy consultation to evaluate the need for help gadget for amputation
- Placing the personal items of a patient within his/her reach
- Making sure that the patient wears slippers that do not have skid surfaces
- Placing the call light within the patient reach
- Making sure that there is a dim light in the evening as well as during the night
- Making sure that a patient’s bed is kept in a low position
Conclusion
It is evident in the paper that inpatient falls is one of the major issues for healthcare facilities since hospitalised patients can sustain bad injuries that can result in death. To effectively minimize the rate of in-patient falls, preventive measures should be put in place to achieve this objective. Some of the clinical and environmental measures proposed in this paper include putting signs such as “please Call, Don’t fall” in patients’ rooms. In addition, the nurse should closely supervise the patient as well as check the patient after every 2 hours as required, putting a blue armband around the patient, having the care outcome section completed as well as encompassing “the patient will be free from injuries or falls”.
Others are utilizing a patient sitter when suitable as well as preparing a discussion with a licensed practitioner or physician, adopt the procedure for agitated/confused patients. Besides, the hospital will put an agitated or confused patient in places where they can easily be observed, initiate the alarm system in the patient’s bed as well as carry out physical therapy consult to evaluate the need for help gadget for ambulation. Moreover, the hospital will make sure that there is a dim light in the evening as well as during the night as well as ensuring that the patient’s bed is kept in a low position.