Patients falling

[zoopnever]

Hi, our floor has been deemed the highest fall risk floor in the hospital. Seems our patients are on the floor more than their beds, usually on their way to the bathroom. My question to you is, how do you yourselves, go about preventing falls? I've read through some of the historical comments and nurses always say the same thing, increase staffing, but the truth is at 1:4 and PCAs 1:10 it really doesn't get better than that in the real world unless you're going 1:1 all the time. So what's the secret? How does your place prevent falls?

Thanks in advance, as always.

[StrwbryblndRN]

Bed alarms are good. Most of the pt's are usually just miss aligned in bed and cause the alarm to go off. It would keep us busy just to keep up with resetting.

We do not put alarms or any restraints for pt's who fall easily but are A/Ox3. It is their right to risk the fall as long as they are aware of the circumstances. I refuse to force myself on someone who refuses to "obey" or verbalizes refusal.

That I find is the highest percentage of falls at our hospital.

[GomerPyle]

i dig the incorporated bed alarms on the new hill rom beds. working from 7p-7a, i activate the alarm on all eight of my patients, whether they're 20 years old and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, or 85, demented with a broken hip. only drawback is when the tech or another nurse turns down the volume on the alarm. those bed alarms are a great tool in helping to provide for patient safety and reducing stress levels for the caregivers. just my

[husker_rn, RN]

We try to keep rooms closest to the nurses station for the obviously confused and use bed alarms hooked to call light system. Some of our beds also have alarms so even shifting weight sets them off. And still falls will occur despite all our efforts.