Falls in healthcare settings is one of the most common causes of patient injury. In order to improve patient safety, a clinical policy of bed exit alarms to reduce fall risk has been introduced (Patient Safety Authority, 2004). Patient Safety Authority (2004) explains that “the principle behind bed exit alarms is that they warn caregivers, and in some cases patients themselves when a patient leaves or attempts to leave the bed.” Additionally, these alarms can alert the caregiver that the patient has changed position or left the bed, allowing more time to react. The main purpose of this policy is to reduce the risk of falls for patients in the healthcare setting. It is also noted that this measure is part of a fall prevention program and is not fully effective on its own. Additionally, there are a number of difficulties with this policy when alarms are misused or malfunctioning.
This policy is used to increase healthcare staff surveillance and reduce the risk of patient falls and injury. In particular, alarms are most needed by patients with cognitive and physical disabilities, allowing healthcare professionals to prevent falls. Alarms come in different designs, but they all tell caregivers that the patient is about to leave the bed and is at increased risk of falling. These devices are validated by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and are widely used in healthcare. However, the effectiveness of these policies and alarms is not well understood, which is further exacerbated by the fact that they are used as part of a comprehensive fall prevention program. Moreover, the effectiveness of devices depends on their type, which further complicates the assessment of their impact on improving patient safety.
Reference
Patient Safety Authority. (2004). Bed exit alarms to reduce fall risk. PA PSRS Patient Safety Advisory, 1(4), 14-15. .