question regarding non-skid socks

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi Nurses

I hope you can help me, I'm trying to check what kind of non-skid socks your hospital or facility uses. We are trying to see if we have other options to prevent falls. Any input would be appreciated.

Thank you.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Where I go to the hospital, they give the patients non-skid socks with the grippers on both top and bottom. That way, if the socks don't stay in one place it's safer than if there were grippers only on the bottom.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Double-sided is what we issue, as well. The problem is convincing the patients to wear them. Only those patients who are a low fall risk seem to be willing to comply. Naturally, our non compliant population are at a higher risk for falls and refuses to keep the darn things on. As a result, our hourly rounding is usually done every few minutes by any staff passing by the room; sitters are incorporated, along with a combination of bed alarms, restraints, and ultimately, medications.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

One LTC place would put non-skid rubber strips (like the kind you use in the bath tub) on the floor next to the bed. Problem I saw was that they would be needed on both sides of the bed and were only good for that immed area. But at least they gave the pt better footing at the bedside where most of the falls seemed to occur.

They would eventually become gummy and start to peel up. I know hskpg didn't like them.

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Our hospital has the gripper socks but only in one size XL! Absolutely useless. I wear a size 5 1/2 shoe. Those stupid socks were a huge tripping hazard for me. Hospitals need to have a variety of sizes for them to make any difference at all.

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Thanks for the answers. Any other input would be greatly appreciated

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