Fall Management Technology

Falls in older patients are common in hospitals and nursing facilities. Among hospital inpatients, falls range from 2.3 to 7 falls per 1,000 patient-days. Approximately 30% of inpatient falls result in injury, with 4% to 6% resulting in serious injury, such as hip fracture, spinal injury and head trauma. Of the 1.6 million patients in U.S. nursing facilities, approximately half fall annually. About 1 in 3 of those who fall will fall two or more times in a year. One in every 10 falls results in a serious injury; about 65,000 patients suffer a hip fracture each year.

To a large extent, effective fall prevention is dependent upon caregivers adhering to a structured process that consists of timely fall risk and post fall assessments and targeted multidisciplinary interventions based on identified risk factors and/or causes of falls.

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Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify available technologies (or products) that support safe mobility/reduce the risk of falling. 
  2. Recognize available technologies (or products) aimed at reducing risk of injurious falls.
  3. Discuss available technologies that warn caregivers when a patient is engaging in potentially risky behavior.  
  4. Summarize the framework for selecting and implementing fall prevention technology.

Curriculum

Chapter 1: Introduction

  • Fall Management Technologies

Chapter 2: Assistive Devices

  • Wheeled Walkers 
  • Bed Transfer Aids
  • Toileting Safety
  • Wheelchair Locking Systems
  • Gait Belts
  • Non-Skid Slippers

Chapter 3: Injury Protection Devices

  • Hip Protectors
  • Low Beds
  • Smart Beds
  • Fall Mats

Chapter 4: Warning Devices

  • Fall Alarms
  • Wandering Alarms
  • Fall Management Technology: Its Implementation

Chapter 5: Selecting the Best Technological Solution

  • Identify a Multidisciplinary Team
  • Identify the Need for Technology 
  • Identify Appropriate Technology 

Chapter 6: Implementing Technology

  • Staff Acceptance of Technology
  • Patient Acceptance of Technology
  • Maintenance and Availability Issues

Chapter 7: Nursing and Technology

  • Conclusion

Chapter 8: Appendix

  • Common Risk Factors and Causes of Falls
  • Fall Preventive Interventions
  • California Bill 241
  • Implicit Bias in Healthcare
  • What is Implicit Bias?
  • Implications of Implicit Bias in Healthcare
  • How to Reduce Implicit Bias

Price: $12.00

Contact Hour: 1

Course Author

Rein Tideiksaar

Rein Tideiksaar, PhD, PA-C, or Dr. Rein as he is commonly referred to, is the president of Fall Prevent, LLC, Blackwood, New Jersey, a consulting company that provides educational, legal, and marketing services related to fall prevention in the elderly.

Dr. Tideiksaar is a gerontologist, which is a health care professional who specializes in working with elderly patients, and a geriatric physician's assistant. He has been active in the area of fall prevention for over thirty years. 

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