Important Steps to Prevent Hospital Falls

Year after year I see cases in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi where a patient falls and sustains serious injuries while in the hospital.  Hospital falls take a heavy toll on patients, especially elderly patients.  You can read about one of these cases I handled here.

In 20-30% of the falls the patient suffers severe to moderate injuries.  The most common injuries are broken hips and traumatic brain injuries.  Hospital falls can also lead to other injuries as well, such as additional falls and bed sores due to the person’s immobility. There are simple safety measures that all hospitals should undertake to prevent falls.

Fall Risk Assessment – Every patient who is admitted to the hospital should be evaluated for his or her risk of falling.  Depending on the degree of risk, hospitals can institute additional safety measures to prevent falls.  Considerations include:

• Age
• Prior falls
• Mental and emotional status
• Medications
• Symptoms of dizziness
• Use of ambulatory aids such as a cane or walker
• Continence status
• Vision and hearing issues
• Predisposing diseases or conditions

Fall Precautions – Once the patient’s relative risk of falling has been thoroughly assessed, then hospitals should institute safety precautions consistent with the patient’s risk.  Here are some procedures that can help ensure that a high risk patient is safe from falling:

• Regular toileting regimens for cognitively impaired and incontinent patients
• Bed alarms that alert the staff when the patient is trying to get out of bed
• Bedrails and other restraint devices
• Floor mats
• Lowering the hospital bed
• Increasing nurse monitoring
• Patient education and training

If you or a loved one is injured from a preventable hospital fall, please let our Memphis, Tennessee legal team, which includes an in-house registered nurse, provide a free and confidential case review.  Call us today at 901-680-9777.