Going alarm-free

Specialties LTC Directors

Published

Just wondering about others with experience making their facility alarm-free. I've read the research, my DON and I want to phase out alarms, but we need some ideas for other falls prevention alternatives. We are thinking that amping up our activities department and providing more things throughout the day for our residents to do may be one solution, but as we all know the more options we have the better. Any input/ideas would be much appreciated, thanks!

Specializes in psychiatric nursing.

Until facilities want to start staffing enough nurses and CNAs to properly supervise all residents, I think alarms are necessary. Alarms have totally prevented some falls where I work.

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

Previous facility's concept: alarms are a late warning of a fall.

I used to work night shift (11p-7a) at a LTC facility and I must say that those fall alarms were GOLD! We used the ones that have a "unit" that attaches to the bed frame, and the actual "pin" that must be pulled to set off the alarm was clipped on to the resident's gown. We had other precautions in place for our higher risk residents (floor mats, bed bolsters, etc.), but these little alarms saved us a fall many times... amping up activities in the facility would play no part in preventing falls at night...

When I worked at the hospital all the nurses and CNAs had cell phone thingies they carried with them that one could answer the call light with. And whenever a bed alarm went off it also beeped and flashed that to the phones.

I've never seen anything like this in LTC, likely due to the expense. We just don't have as deep pockets as them. But I think such a set up would really prevent falls, cause the staff could answer the call lights immediately, and we would know right away when an alarm went off, no matter how far away.

Maybe the decrease in falls and increase in pt satisfaction would make this system pay for itself?

Specializes in LTC, Rural, OB.

I have to agree with duskyjewel. Where I work there are only a handful of patients that have the alarms, I think maybe 4 or 5 out of 36. These particular residents don't typically use their call buttons. For the most part, they are trying to get up out of bed and when we hear the alarm we have enough time to get to them before they get all the way up and fall. The ones that seem to fall are the ones without alarms who are ambulatory but are starting to decline.

this actually is a piece a new NPSG called Alarm fatigue, I think it is primarily meant for acute care but it may find its way to long term care

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