A fall is the loss of an upright position, producing an uncontrolled and unintentional placement of an individual’s body from one surface to another. Many times serious injuries can result in the frail geriatric population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.), lacerations, hip fractures, head traumas, and death can result from a fatal fall.
One out of every three seniors over the age of sixty-five has a fall each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.), the emergency room treats over 2.5 million elderly and hospitalizes over 734 thousand every year. Roughly 50-75% of the nursing home geriatric …show more content…
Interventions are a major component for nursing staff. Documentation of interventions are included in each care plan and communicated to all healthcare staff members. Staff members then follow up with observations resulting from the intervention. Nurses can implement a number of interventions for residents.
Those that are at high risk for falling may have alerts placed above their doorframe, bedposts, or have armband identification. Nurses may request frequent rounding to monitor a wandering resident. Healthcare personnel may apply nonskid footwear and assess the bed in a low position. To assure these interventions are in place, it is only appropriate to incorporate a healthcare system practice guideline of bedside reporting during shift change, with the off going charge nurse and the oncoming charge nurse and her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) …show more content…
Bedside reporting consists of nurses reporting off essential patient information, at the end of their shift, room by room to the oncoming nurses. Certified nursing assistants are also essential key players, which provide many activities of daily living, to those in this geriatric community. Many times certified nursing assistants do not get vital pieces of patient information; therefore, this facility will include them during the bedside reporting.
Accountability of Bedside Reporting Practice Guideline
The long-term care community consisting of numerous fragile elderly individuals requires care from many departments. For this particular practice guideline, the two departments accountable for bedside reporting are the nursing department and administration. The director of nursing makes this new practice guideline very clear to all nursing and CNA staff at a routine mandatory conference. There is nothing unclear about this guideline as there was plenty of explanation and time for questions during the conference.
The director of nursing is responsible for all healthcare staff. The nursing home administrator will make sure that the director of nursing is following through with the new practice guideline. Nurses are in supervising roles and are required to guide CNA staff with any new practice changes involving those they care for in the long-term care