Falls and incident reports in LTC

etmx5313 · Apr 7, 2004

:uhoh21: Many nurses in LTC tell me that they don't have time to fill out incident reports each time a patient falls. What about you? Do you always fill out an incident report when a patient falls? Thanks

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ALWAYS---can I repeat ALWAYS fill out an incident report when someone falls!!! I never want to be caught in a situation where I though that someone fell and did not injure themselves--only to have an injury show up later and YOUR butt is on the line!!! Yes there are times when I don't have time to pee, eat or fart, let alone fill out ANOTHER form. But if I have to stay (later than I usually do) I will do it. It's your license!!!

leslie :-D · Apr 7, 2004

in nursing, there's a continuum of priorities. incident reports are on the top of my list because you need to document that the md and pt's family/rp was notified. those are absolutes. it will come back and haunt you someday, trust me.

mandykal, ADN, RN · Apr 7, 2004

The company I work for has ECS (Electronic Charting System) All information is on computer, all you have to fill out is the nature of the fall. It's much easier and quicker.

Now that it's in place nurses can focus more on care... :)

Blackcat99 · Apr 8, 2004

:chuckle Thanks for your messages. I agree that incident reports should be done each time a patient falls.Unfortunately, I have had days when there have been so many falls that I only made incident reports on certain residents. I had a choice to either do meds or do incident reports all day. I was the only nurse on duty.

lisasmom · Apr 12, 2004

:chuckle Thanks for your messages. I agree that incident reports should be done each time a patient falls.Unfortunately, I have had days when there have been so many falls that I only made incident reports on certain residents. I had a choice to either do meds or do incident reports all day. I was the only nurse on duty.

To repeat what etmx5313 said.....ALWAYS .say it again...ALWAYS fill out an incident report, you never know what will happen the next day or week. An incident report states what happened and what if .Oh say ... 4 days later someone asks you about what happened. Will you remember? Also an repoprt shows that you assesed the patient and either found no injuries or found any injury that you cared for.

unknown99, BSN, RN · Apr 12, 2004

Always!!! It's called covering your a** !!!!

MiaLyse, APRN · Apr 12, 2004

Always!

Kelly

nursedawn67, LPN · Apr 12, 2004

Always always always....cover your a**!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Apr 12, 2004

It's sad that the first thing we have to worry about is covering our @$$......because if we don't, something will come back to BITE us on it! :angryfire

Megan-Cho · Apr 12, 2004

BlackCat,

If you feel there are alot of falls you might have your Consultant Pharmacist do a specific Risk Assessment for those residents based on pharmacological reasons a patient might be falling.

There might be a med change that can be made and reduce the risk of falls. Unless they know they are happening though, they won't catch it and make the change recommendation!

Good luck!

- Megs :)

ktwlpn, LPN · Apr 12, 2004

:chuckle Thanks for your messages. I agree that incident reports should be done each time a patient falls.Unfortunately, I have had days when there have been so many falls that I only made incident reports on certain residents. I had a choice to either do meds or do incident reports all day. I was the only nurse on duty.

Then you have a bigger problem with these residents....There are so many interventions available to you that can prevent most of these occurrences and this should be part of each incident report.....Does the resident have a UTI or other acute infection? Are they hungry or thirsty? In pain? Having to toilet? Try to identify the triggers for increased agitation and restlessness and avoid them...Does this person need a nap in the afternoon? A low bed with pads on the floor to prevent injury if the do roll out? A low (adirondack type chair) to slow them down when they try to rise? OT or PT? Has there been a recent med change? Is the resident gotten out of bed the minute they wake up and want to get up or does staff just keep trying to lay them back down over and over and over? Is the staff getting too noisy and certain times of the shift and inadvertently agitating the residents? It's like crime scene investigating-I love this stuff......I had agal that we tried everything with-she kept sliding to the floor in the afternoon-over and over again....Finally after exhausting all other avenues we just let her sit there....turned out she wanted to pick the dots up off of the lino...after 5 or 10 mins she would get tired and her attention would wander so back to her chair she went -after toileting and a drink she was ready for a nap.....this worked almost every time....

It was the only "activity" she could really particiapte in and enjoy.....