Introduction One-third of all older adults suffer a fall every year. In this age group falls represent great danger to the health and quality of life. It’s one of the most expensive and traumatic events a patient can experience either at home or while staying at a facility. Nurses have the opportunity to play an essential role in preventing falls in older adults through application of best practices. Determining the risk factors and trying to prevent falls is difficult but not impossible. There are many screening methods that will help to identify all the risk factors and strategies to prevent them.
Fall risk reduction A basic set of interventions for fall risk reduction can be implemented on any unit by any nurse and it will …show more content…
“Research indicates that over 20% of community dwelling older adults are prescribed psychotropic medications and over 80% of older adults living in residential care settings take at least one psychotropic medication.” In addition to these medications the preexisting conditions increase the risks. Antidepressants are the most prescribed fall risk-increasing drugs.() Doxepin and amitriptyline are the most common and cause sedation and extrapyramidal effects. They also can reduce bone marrow density which would increase the risk for fractures with falls. Bipolar disorder medications such as lithium have many side effects that include fall risk factor increasing blurred vision, fatigue, tremor, and vertigo. Another common medications used are mood stabilizers that can cause ataxia which in turn can make one out of balance. Anxiolytics increase confusion in patients, especially the old ones. Slower thought process and reaction time have been reported as well as delirium and such side effects are dangerous enough on their own but added to other risk factors the person taking them is at a great risk for
Fall risk reduction A basic set of interventions for fall risk reduction can be implemented on any unit by any nurse and it will …show more content…
“Research indicates that over 20% of community dwelling older adults are prescribed psychotropic medications and over 80% of older adults living in residential care settings take at least one psychotropic medication.” In addition to these medications the preexisting conditions increase the risks. Antidepressants are the most prescribed fall risk-increasing drugs.() Doxepin and amitriptyline are the most common and cause sedation and extrapyramidal effects. They also can reduce bone marrow density which would increase the risk for fractures with falls. Bipolar disorder medications such as lithium have many side effects that include fall risk factor increasing blurred vision, fatigue, tremor, and vertigo. Another common medications used are mood stabilizers that can cause ataxia which in turn can make one out of balance. Anxiolytics increase confusion in patients, especially the old ones. Slower thought process and reaction time have been reported as well as delirium and such side effects are dangerous enough on their own but added to other risk factors the person taking them is at a great risk for