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:
- Identify available technologies (or products) that support safe mobility/reduce the risk of falling.
- Recognize available technologies (or products) aimed at reducing
risk of injurious falls. - Discuss available technologies that warn caregivers when a patient is engaging in potentially risky behavior.
- 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.
Course Accreditation
See our Accreditation Statements page to view our accreditation information.