Patient fall prevention guide

Patient falls in the hospital may result in serious injuries such as fractures, head trauma and even death for patients. While most cases of patient falls can be prevented.

Patients fall in the hospital for the following reasons:

Weakness of the patient due to illness and lack of proper physical condition of the patient (dizziness, total paralysis or part of the body, inability to walk and vision problems, taking sleeping pills, diuretics, etc.) Inform your nurse and ask them for help to reduce these complications.)
Not using mobility aids
Darkness at night
Wet floor of the ward and toilet
Damage to the protective fence of the bed
Lack of awareness and not having a companion
Old age and having hallucinations and disturbances in consciousness
History of falling from bed
Restlessness and unbearable pain
Sudden drop in blood pressure and blood sugar
Children and infants of patients who exaggerate their abilities.
Dear patient, to reduce the risk of falling, pay attention to the following:
Ask for help to get out of bed or walk and wait until the staff arrives. Be sure to use slippers or shoes that fit your size while walking. Look around you, walk slowly. Inform the (nurse) if you cannot stand on your feet. In case of imbalance, ask your nurse for mobility aids (walker, wheelchair, crutches, etc.) and use it while standing up and walking. When walking, make sure there is no vehicle in your path. Inform the nurse if the floor of the room, ward or bathroom is wet, because the wet floor of the ward can lead to a fall and cause a fracture to the head and even death. Remember that the hospital environment is not as familiar to you as your home, so it is necessary to follow the listed items to prevent falling in the hospital. If you need to get off the bed to go to the toilet, bathroom, or walk, you should follow the following steps: Press the call bell for the nurse (above the head of the bed) and wait until help arrives. Never lower the bed guard yourself. Wear suitable shoes or slippers. Never walk in the dark and be sure to turn on the lamp when entering the bathroom or leaving the bed at night. Before going to sleep at night, be sure to go to the toilet. If you feel dizzy, sit down quickly in the bathroom and use the auxiliary handle and press the call bell for the nurse. Before leaving the bathroom, be sure to press the call bell for the nurse and ask for help and wait until the nurse arrives. Never stand on the bed to change clothes. Never leave the bed from the open space next to the bed rail. Listen carefully to the instructions provided by the nurse. Use the grab bar in the restrooms and the path leading to the restroom. Ask your nurse or companion to provide easy access to the TV remote control, paper towels, telephone, and other necessary items. If you use a mobility device, bring it with you or use the device in the department.
Getting out of bed:
Make sure the mobility aid is secure. Lie on your back and bend your knees, turn your shoulders and knees to one side at the same time, first raise your body and sit on the edge of the bed. If you don’t feel dizzy, hang your legs for 5 minutes.
Dear Patient, Many patient falls occur when the patient tries to get off the bed

Dear patient, if you have a previous history of falling, then you are more at risk of falling in the hospital than others, so it is necessary to observe all the above precautions to avoid the risk of fractures, head trauma, etc. during your stay in the hospital. Prevention should be done.

People who are in the group of patients with a high risk of falling in the hospital need your cooperation with the hospital staff to prevent falls.

Producer: Samane East

(safety coordinator expert)

Educational supervisor: Elham Habibi

Source: The book Principles of Teaching the Patient – Guidelines for Fall Prevention (Farnaz Mostofian)

Compilation date: summer 1400

Last revision date: Three years later

“Mir Hosseini Hospital, Shiraz”

Drmirhosseinihospital.com: website

Shirazmirhosseinihospital: Insta

Infomirhosseini@gmail.com: email

Phone: 071-32284433: Phone: 071-32287481