Patient will relate the intent to use safety measures to prevent falls.
Treatment is directed at the underlying cause of the fall and can return the patient to baseline function. Outpatient evaluation of a patient who has fallen includes a focused history with an emphasis on medications, a directed physical examination and simple tests of postural control and overall physical function. One-third of community-dwelling elderly persons and 60% of nursing home residents fall each year. Risk factors for falls in the elderly include increasing age, medication use, cognitive impairment and sensory deficits. More than 90% of hip fractures occur as a result of falls, with most of these fractures occurring in persons over 70 years of age. Falls can be trademarks of inadequate health and decrease function, and they are usually linked with significant morbidity. The mortality rate for falls rises dramatically with age in both sexes and in all racial and ethnic groups. Also, the quality of life is significantly modified following a fall-related injury. Fall-related injuries are linked with lengthening hospitalization for the elderly. Injuries sustained as a result of falls include soft tissue injury, fractures (hip, spine, and wrist), and traumatic brain injury. In fact, falls are a leading cause of injury and accidental death among individuals older than 65 years. This statistic increases to about 75% of nursing home residents because of their old age, susceptibility, chronic medical status, and cognitive impairments. Based on statistics evaluated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in three community-dwelling adults older than age 65 fall every year, and women fall more frequently than men in this age-group. Use this guide to help you create nursing care plans and interventions for patients at risk for falls.įalls put a person, especially adults and older adults, at risk of serious injury. Fall prevention may not seem like a favorite topic but plays a very important role in health care. Therapeutic Communication Techniques Quiz.
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