Preventing patient falls

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Preventing Patient Falls More than 300,000 falls per year occurs in U.S, hospitals and this is of patient's that are already admitted. About half of those falls result in minor injury, and about one quarter are more serious, and include severe sprains or broken bones. On average a fall injury adds 6 days to a hospital stay, which is one reason insurance companies push for fall assessments upon admittance. Why Patients Fall Weakness- if a patient is hospitalized, even for a bad case of the flu, it can promote weakness. When a patient is weak, they may not realize how weak until it's too late. When they stand to go to the restroom, they could be attempting to move rather quickly, and may not think about how weak they are. In many cases, their legs simply cave, resulting in a fall. This type of fall is more likely to have injuries because a fall from weakness often occurs near the bed, where there is equipment that could cause a head injury. Dizziness- when a patient is dizzy a fall could happen anywhere, they should call for assistance anytime they stand. Falls from dizziness are more likely to occur in the restroom within the patient's room. Disorientation- this can be a state of confusion from medications, or it can be from the patient's medical condition. They may forget an injury that requires them to need assistance, or they may forget where they are entirely and attempt to leave. If a patient is fearful, they are more likely to experience a fall. Related: Nursing in Law Enforcement A Result of Falls Approximately 8,000 head injuries occur each year as a result of a patient fall within a hospital. More than 5,000 broken bones, and more than 11,000 sprains or injuries that require treatment. Patients that suffer a fall will often be hesitant about standing or walking again, which can slow down recovery times. Tips to Provide Patients to Reduce Falls Use the call button for help in getting out of bed if there is any question of stability. If uncertain, use the call, button to be on the safe side. There is also a call button inside the restroom, and it's intended to be used when assistance is needed.


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