Falls-alarms,etcfalls,alarms - page 2

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  1. Jan 3 by
    Quote from jrwest
    LOL- you would think this was LTC, but it's acute care , believe it or not. But many of these pts are from LTC.
    I like the bubble wrap idea.
    Silly question- if a pt falls out of a low bed onto the floor mats, is it still a reportable fall?
    We cant even use the geri chairs with the trays on them like we used to years ago. They're a restraint.
    Duhhhhh, don't they get it- of course we are trying to restrain them from breaking a hip or worse.
    Oh well, day by day then.
    The Geri chairs...
    At one understaffed facility, I remember being told that the residents could use the Geri chairs with trays for "meals, snacks, and activities.". Well guess what? Every resident in a chair always had a snack, book, playing cards, mound of wash cloths, etc in front of them. Now that I look back and think about it, it must have looked kind of crazy! No one fell on my watch, though. ;-)
    jrwest likes this.
  2. Jan 3 by
    To OP - I would have sworn you were LTC, then I reread your 2nd response. Hospitals have a little more leeway re restraint use. In LTC, we're even restricted with the use of mitts, so we become very creative when IV, GT & FC tubings are in use!

    Low beds can be either stationary PVC-type frames, maybe 12 inches off the floor, without siderails. Or they do have electric beds that go hi-lo, and the low can be reeeeally low, again like 12 inches, but with siderails. We push the beds against one wall to decrease opportunities to climb amd we're able to pad the floor on the one side. (Have you tried using multiple thick blankets; but you'll use up all your blankets then probably?) And yes, even if pts roll off the low beds to the floor, it is considered a FALL with all the required documentation. But NO injuries that I can remember!! The only problem is if there's tubes to tangle up.

    Gerichairs and recliners are considered restraints because by definition a restraint is anything that prohbits a pt's free range of motion/mobility.

    I've even had a pt who slept on the floor with mats specially arranged (officially approved). He was extremely high risk MR/DD/seizure.

    I still like the bubble wrap idea, esp Brandon's improvisation. Maybe we can get the pts to POP the bubbles to keep themselves busy!!!

    I know we're just trying so hard to protect pts from injury, but there has been misuse and abuse that have to be avoided.
    jrwest likes this.
  3. Jan 4 by
    Are these patients anxious? Or is there something else going on. I have patients that do it to get attention or they are so wound up they can't stay still. Maybe try some sedatives if the doctor is willing. This is a great time to try some nursing interventions. Restraints may just make it worse.

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