fall questions

[nikita12]

Hi guys I am new nurse. I need clarification about fall. so if some fall on your shift.

First thing is assessment, then neurochecks, the call Responsible party, then notify doctor.

WHAT do we tell doc? SInce i am a new nurse i am so scared to call doc . long term facility that i work doc is very RUDE...what do we say to doctor? FOR example...if someone can please give a example? that would be helpful please?

for responsible party how do we tell them? for example Hi I am your nurse want to notify you that so and so fell???

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

SBAR is a very useful tool for when you have to call the doctor about your patient or even when reporting off to the oncoming nurse. Here is a link explaining more (also includes an example):

SBAR | Situation Background Assessment Recommendation - Safer Healthcare

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You are not the doctor's nurse.. you are the resident's nurse.

The doctor appears rude.. because he does not want to be bothered with actually taking care of the patient.

Per your facility policy , you are required to report the incident. Report your findings to the attending, document their response and follow their orders.

[wanderlustnurse88, RN]

If there are no apparent injuries and vitals stable, we leave a note for the md so when they come to do weekly rounds, they are aware. If there is an injury that needs to be assessed, they go to the emerg to be assessed (we are connected to an emerg department so it's pretty easy just to get them checked out).

[Alisonisayoshi, LVN]

I say "hi Dr so and so, resident xyz fell at 2200 (or whatever) unwittnessed. Vitals WNL no s/s of acute injury, ROM intact in all extremities, neuro checks in place, all WNL or to baseline for resident. Do you want me to just monitor or do you want me to send resident xyz out for eval at ED?"

[Alisonisayoshi, LVN]

I don't care if the doctor is rude to me for doing my job by asking him to do his. It's not on me that he took a job as a facility doctor. That's his problem, my problem is my fallen resident.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

At one nursing home where I previously worked, the attending physician had standing orders to not call him for falls unless a major injury or fracture was suspected. The orders were in writing, which covered the nursing staff.

He had an entire binder of standing orders to address minor injuries such as skin tears, abrasions, etc. I feel that if a nursing home physician does not want to be called, he/she needs to have an extensive binder of standing orders and protocols that cover most situations that arise in the LTC setting.