Precautions to Take in Nursing Homes to Prevent Falls

Fall Prevention

Identify High Risk Patients

Ask nursing staff to list conditions and characteristics of patients at high risk for a fall. These include patients with mobility and balance issues due to illnesses such as Parkinson's as well as patients suffering from dementia. Also, patients with conditions that make their bones likely to be brittle such as osteoporosis should also be flagged as high risk.

Ask staff to list medications which may impede mobility, cognitive functioning, or increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Physically audit the area for areas likely to cause falls

While staff are not involved in the planning of the facility itself, they should be aware of the features that have been added to the facility to reduce the risk of falls. These may include railings near beds, hallways, and bathrooms. Residents who are capable of understanding should likewise be taken on a tour of the facility to highlight how to use structural modifications to prevent falls.

Staff should have a review of the protocol regarding what to do if they spot a resident who has experienced a fall, how to assist them, and how to screen for any injures to determine what type of additional assistance may be needed

Residents should be briefed on how to solicit assistance should they fall.

Step 3: Initiate standard operating procedures to reduce falls

Review with staff standard operating procedures to reduce falls, such as always having some form of lighting in hallways, even at night

Create a buddy system for high risk patients and assign a nurse to each patient who is on-duty to ensure that the patient always has someone with them when moving and is aware of the fact, in case the patient trips and falls.

Step 4: Keeping patients as mobile as possible for as long as possible

For residents that are physically capable, initiate an exercise program involving balance exercises, walking, and other motions that enable them to steady themselves more easily. Explaining to them in the educational program the need for exercise which can act as an additional motivator to participate.

Residents should be regularly monitored for changes in eyesight, mobility, and when they are switched to a new treatment plan or are prescribed additional medications.

Barriers

Potential barriers to success may include resistance amongst staff regarding allowing patients the mobility to exercise, for fear this will cause additional falls. It must be clear that the plans are within safe guidelines and activities to enhance mobility are less likely to result in falls in the long run.