Falls Prevention Case Study

Falls account for a majority of the injuries to patients in long term care facilities. With falls being such a prevalent problem in the geriatric population it is important for nurses to take into account many different aspects of the problem and make it a priority to reduce and even eliminate the problematic issue with the long term care setting. Nurses should be most concerned first about the safety and well being of their clients, injuries, lasting disabilities, and costs associated with the falls.

“Falls account for a significant portion of injuries in hospitalized patients, long term care residents, and home care recipients. In the context of the population it serves, the services it provides, and its environment of care, the organization

“Fall risk assessment and post fall assessment are two very different and distinct approaches for falls prevention” ( Boltz, 2012). Knowing why the fall has occurred is crucial information to know. If you can do a post fall assessment and learn the underlying cause the nurse can create a care plan individualized and appropriate for each client. “The PFA is a comprehensive, yet fall-focused history and physical examination of the present problem (falling), coupled with a functional assessment, review of past medical problems, and medications. Clinical fall prevention guidelines are very clear about all of the necessary components for inclusion for patients who have fallen, which include fall history; fall circumstance; medical problems; medication review; Mobility assessment; vision assessment; neurological examination, including mental status; and cardiovascular assessment” (Boltz,

In each of these areas, an envi- ronmental assessment is performed focusing on floor surfaces, furniture, hallways, steps, device safety such as stretchers, wheelchairs, and other types of chairs, free of clutter, bathrooms with appropriate grab rails, and routine assessment of equipment. Use

Of a checklist signed by the designated employee allows for audit review of compliance, serving as an internal benchmark of compliance.(a) increasing surveillance by either staying with the patient continuously; (b) moving the patient to a closer location (pro- vided there is staff constantly observing the patient); (c) providing a one-on-one type of sitter service for continual surveillance; or (d) engaging the older patient in diversional activities or other forms of therapeutic recreation. Sitter type services can be