Strategies for Implementing Fall Protocol

Nursing homes provide patients with a comfortable, safe environment where they receive medical care and assistance. The facility helps ensure patient safety by implementing protocols that list instructions on handling a specific situation, such as a fall. A patient may fall in a nursing home, for example, because of walking problems, his legs' inability to bear weight or confusion. Nursing homes use protocols explaining what to do after a fall, to assure the incident is handled properly.

Protocol

• Create a protocol for the nursing facility that includes instructions on how to care for and treat a patient who has fallen. Directions for contacting local Emergency Medical Services should be added to the fall protocol. EMS services are necessary if a patient must go to the emergency room for evaluation and care, such as an X-ray or sutures.

Staff Notification

• You should hold a meeting to tell staff the nursing home is implementing a fall protocol. This allows management to educate the staff on the procedures detailed in the protocol. It also gives employees the opportunity to use and practice the procedures and techniques. Practice scenarios can be set up during the meeting to show the staff proper protocol.

Easy-to-Use Guide

• An easy-to-use guide will help nurses and nursing assistants understand the protocol, and they can refer to it when needed. Ideal locations for copies of the fall protocol include each nurses' station, the nursing supervisor's office and the nursing home administrator's office. You can hand out a copy of the protocol to each employee so they can learn it at their convenience. Management can administer a test that contains questions to assure employees understand and know the protocol.