FALLS
Facts and Stats
Documentation
Must do's
Medications
Tools
100

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), - What is "an unplanned descent to the floor with or without injury to the patient"

The official definition of a patient FALL

100

What range of people fall in U.S. hospitals each year.

What is 700,000 to 1,000,000? 

100

Following a fall event, the RN must complete______.

What is a KEEPSAFE?

100

This class of medications - causes the urgent need for toileting and increased risk for falls. 

What are diuretics and laxatives?

100

To prevent hospital falls, nurses often place this pressure-sensitive "alarm" pad under a patient's bedsheets.

What is a Posey bed alarm?

200

This event occurs when a healthcare staff member is present and actively clears or eases the patient's descent to break the fall.

What is an Assisted Fall

200

According to the NYP Falls Dashboard - When do most Falls occur?

What is the "During Night shift"

200

What is getting to the 5 "Why's"

During a post-fall huddle, the CNM and Primary Nurse assess to find root causes by completing the POST FALL HUDDLE FORM 

200

A class of medications that can depress the central nervous system, decrease alertness, pain perception, and alter physical coordination. 

What are Narcotics and sedatives?

300

Falls that are caused by environmental or extrinsic hazards, such as slipping on a wet floor or tripping over clutter.

What are Accidental Falls 

300

When should the Morse Fall Assessment be completed?

What is Q Shift and with a change in patient status

300

When should the Morse Fall Assessment be completed?

What is "Every shift and with a change in patient status."

400

Falls that are caused by sudden, unpredictable medical events that could not be foreseen in standard risk assessments, such as a seizure or a syncopal episode.

What are Unanticipated Physiological Falls 

400

Which gender is at a higher risk for falls?

Women.

Accelerated Bone loss - Post-menopausal estrogen loss significantly accelerates osteoporosis, which degrades balance and physical performance  menopause 

Lower Baseline Muscle Mass - Sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) leaves older women with less lower-body strength to steady themselves if they trip. 

500

Falls caused by known, predictable clinical factors such as unstable gait, history of falling, altered mental status, frequent toileting, or specific high-risk medications.

What are Anticipated Physiological Falls