Geriatric falls: prevention strategies for the staff

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Practice
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Falls and related injuries are a significant concern for individuals over 75, representing the second leading cause of accidental death in this demographic.
• Hospitalized elderly patients exhibit a substantially elevated risk of falling.
• Retrospective audits identified peak fall times correlating with patient needs for toileting, rest, nutrition, and hydration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the MetroHealth Falls Prevention Program, a system designed with proactive strategies to mitigate falls in the elderly population.
• To explore the implications of an effective falls prevention program on gerontological nursing practice.

Main Methods:

• Review of retrospective quality improvement chart audits to identify peak fall times and associated patient needs.
• Implementation of the MetroHealth Falls Prevention Program utilizing proactive measures.

Main Results:

• Identified specific patient needs (toileting, rest, nutrition, hydration) associated with peak fall times.
• The MetroHealth Falls Prevention Program is founded on simple, proactive interventions.

Conclusions:

• Effective falls prevention programs offer substantial benefits for gerontological nursing, including reduced restraint use and enhanced patient autonomy and self-esteem.
• Such programs contribute to improved nursing control over patient safety and time management.
• The findings suggest avenues for future nursing research in falls prevention.