Older Adult Population Analysis

The Canadian health care system has reached a point where the population of older adults has now begun to outnumber the youth population within the country as a whole (Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2011). This is significant to the health care system because the primary consumer of health care is shifting to the older adult population (Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2011). As nurses, it is important to be knowledgeable around common diagnosis, health care challenges, barriers to care, and understanding the next phase of life for this population. One of the highest risks for the older adult population is falling, one in three older adults will experience a fall within the year and half of this population will experience

This is a vulnerable population that can have fluctuating health and wellness. Falls are the most common ‘co-morbidity’ with the patient who have an acute illness (Wierenga, Buurman, Parlevliet, Van Munster, Smorenburg, Inouye, de Rooij, 2012). On the unit, the number of falls is one of the highest in comparison to the sister floors that are also associated with the unit. There is a high rate of interprofessional practice on the unit, thus making occupational therapy and physiotherapy one of my main sources of information on ambulation on the unit. I am going to contact the nurse practitioner on the floor who has oversight of the floor to gain permission to audit safety mechanism on the floor this includes ensuring patients have the proper foot attire, the environment is clear from any obstacles, bed alarms are on patients that are at increased falls risk, and the number of people who need supervisions or assistance of one nurse to ambulate. From there I will reflect on my findings, assessing what the next steps should be for intervention on the floor. It is important that patients are up and ambulating to prevent a decline in mobility and strength, however, they need the right tools and situation to perform mobilization properly. As well for patients who are in bed it ensure that bed alarms are on, rails are up and call bells are in reach to prevent them from getting out of bed without assistance. My plan to assess these measures to create a checklist for nurses and recreational therapy. This will be at the bedside to remind staff to check and make sure these safety measures are in place as well as initial that you have checked