Fall Prevention in Hospitals, Adult
WHAT ARE SOME SAFETY TIPS FOR PREVENTING FALLS?
If you or a loved one has to stay in the hospital, talk to the health care providers about the risk of falling. Find out which medicines or treatments can cause dizziness or affect balance. Make a plan with the health care providers to prevent falls. The plan may include to:
• Ask for help moving around, especially after surgery or when feeling unwell.
• Have support available when getting up and moving around.
• Wear nonskid footwear.
• Use the safety straps on wheelchairs.
• Ask for help to get objects that are out of reach.
• Wear eyeglasses.
• Remove all clutter from the floor and sides of the bed.
• Keep equipment and wires securely out of the way.
• Keep the bed …show more content…
• Ask for a bed alarm if you are not able to stay with a loved one who is at risk for getting up without help.
• Ask if sleeping pills or other medicines that alter mental status are necessary.
WHAT INCREASES THE RISK FOR FALLS?
As a hospital patient, certain conditions and treatments may increase the risk for falls. These include:
• Being in an unfamiliar environment.
• Being on bed rest.
• Having surgery.
• Taking certain medicines, such as sleeping pills.
• Having tubes in place, such as IV lines or catheters.
Some additional risk factors for falls in a hospital include:
• Having vision problems.
• Having altered mental status.
• Having trouble with balance.
• Needing to use the toilet frequently.
• Having fallen in the past three months.
• Having low blood pressure when standing up quickly (orthostatic hypotension).
WHAT DOES THE HOSPITAL STAFF DO TO HELP PREVENT ME OR MY LOVED ONE FROM FALLING?
Hospitals have systems in place to prevent falls and accidents. Talk to the hospital staff about:
• Doing an assessment to discuss fall risks and create a personalized plan to prevent
WHAT ARE SOME SAFETY TIPS FOR PREVENTING FALLS?
If you or a loved one has to stay in the hospital, talk to the health care providers about the risk of falling. Find out which medicines or treatments can cause dizziness or affect balance. Make a plan with the health care providers to prevent falls. The plan may include to:
• Ask for help moving around, especially after surgery or when feeling unwell.
• Have support available when getting up and moving around.
• Wear nonskid footwear.
• Use the safety straps on wheelchairs.
• Ask for help to get objects that are out of reach.
• Wear eyeglasses.
• Remove all clutter from the floor and sides of the bed.
• Keep equipment and wires securely out of the way.
• Keep the bed …show more content…
• Ask for a bed alarm if you are not able to stay with a loved one who is at risk for getting up without help.
• Ask if sleeping pills or other medicines that alter mental status are necessary.
WHAT INCREASES THE RISK FOR FALLS?
As a hospital patient, certain conditions and treatments may increase the risk for falls. These include:
• Being in an unfamiliar environment.
• Being on bed rest.
• Having surgery.
• Taking certain medicines, such as sleeping pills.
• Having tubes in place, such as IV lines or catheters.
Some additional risk factors for falls in a hospital include:
• Having vision problems.
• Having altered mental status.
• Having trouble with balance.
• Needing to use the toilet frequently.
• Having fallen in the past three months.
• Having low blood pressure when standing up quickly (orthostatic hypotension).
WHAT DOES THE HOSPITAL STAFF DO TO HELP PREVENT ME OR MY LOVED ONE FROM FALLING?
Hospitals have systems in place to prevent falls and accidents. Talk to the hospital staff about:
• Doing an assessment to discuss fall risks and create a personalized plan to prevent