Known Fallers
Adult falls are overwhelming medical services and are expected to keep rising. Discover how Emergency Department nurses are addressing this with critical first assessments of "Known Fallers," and, with the help of multiple case studies, learn about intervention and prevention tactics that can enhance quality of life and safety for your patients during care transitions.
Course Details
Overview
Many patients underestimate the risks and dangers of falls within the hospital, with their perceptions not aligning with their physiologic risk. With the aging US population, the incidence of older adult falls will only continue to climb, leading to an increased burden and overwhelm of medical services. This article explores how nurses are using critical clinical judgment upon the initial Emergency Department entry of "Known Fallers," and other case studies, to emphasize the importance of interventions, personalized fall prevention care plans, patient education, and maintaining safe care environments. These vital strategies are crucial to help maintain patient autonomy, functionality, independence, and safety during care transitions.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Describe the use of screening vs. assessment tools used to evaluate fall risk.
- Identify key tools developed to assess home safety fall prevention.
- Explain components of a fall prevention plan for a known faller admitted through the emergency department.
Presented by:
Patricia Quigley, PhD, APRN, CRRN, FAAN, FAANP, FARN
Patricia Quigley works as a nurse consultant out of St. Petersburg, Florida.
