Fall Prevention: Inpatient
Summary
TLDRThis video from MD Anderson emphasizes fall prevention during cancer treatment. It outlines risks such as feeling weak, dizziness, and low blood counts, which can increase the chance of falls. The video advises patients to call for help when getting up and to be cautious with IV poles and bathroom use. It also suggests wearing non-skid shoes, using assistive devices, and following safety measures like bed alarms. The message is clear: patient safety is paramount, and proactive measures can prevent serious fall-related injuries.
Takeaways
- 🚑 Falling is a serious risk for all patients, potentially causing delays in cancer treatment or even death.
- 💊 Treatment side effects like weakness, tiredness, confusion, or dizziness increase the risk of falling.
- 🩸 Low blood counts heighten the risk of falls and injuries.
- 💊 Certain medicines, including chemotherapy, can increase the likelihood of falls.
- 🏥 Post-surgery, sedation, or extended bed rest can affect mobility and balance, raising the risk of falls.
- 👨⚕️ If you've had falls before or feel weak, be cautious and ask for help when moving around.
- 👵 Age, low blood pressure, poor nutrition, and dehydration can also contribute to the risk of falling.
- 💧 Urgent needs for the restroom due to medication or IV fluids can increase the risk of falls.
- 🏠 Familiarize yourself with the hospital room to reduce the risk of falling due to unfamiliarity.
- 🛑 Always use the call light for assistance when needing to get out of bed or use the restroom.
- 👟 Wear non-skid shoes or socks and avoid loose or backless footwear to prevent slipping and tripping.
Q & A
What is the primary concern addressed in the video?
-The primary concern addressed in the video is the risk of falling among patients receiving treatment at MD Anderson, which can lead to serious injuries or even death.
How can a fall impact a patient's cancer treatment?
-A fall can cause serious injuries that may delay cancer treatment or even result in death.
What are some factors that increase the risk of falling during cancer treatment?
-Factors that increase the risk of falling include feeling weak, tired, confused, or dizzy due to the disease or treatment side effects, low blood counts, sedation during procedures, surgery, extended bed rest, and mobility issues like damaged nerves in the feet.
Why are certain medicines associated with an increased risk of falling?
-Certain medicines like chemotherapy, cellular therapy, pain or nausea medications, steroids, allergy medications, and diuretics can affect balance or strength, thereby increasing the risk of falling.
What advice does the video give for patients needing to use the restroom urgently?
-Patients should call for help before attempting to use the restroom urgently due to conditions like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or certain medicines and IV fluids.
Why is it important to use the call light for help when getting out of bed?
-Using the call light for help when getting out of bed ensures that staff can assist quickly, reducing the risk of falls in unfamiliar hospital environments.
What role do environmental factors play in the risk of falling in a hospital room?
-Environmental factors such as furniture, IV poles, uneven floors, different floor surfaces, inadequate lighting, wet or cluttered floors can all contribute to the risk of falling.
What personal experience does Bob Rozinski, the lymphoma cancer survivor, share in the video?
-Bob Rozinski shares his close calls with falls and emphasizes the importance of listening to nurses and not being embarrassed to ask for help with toileting needs for safety.
What is the significance of the 'call don't fall' campaign mentioned in the video?
-The 'call don't fall' campaign is a safety initiative encouraging patients to always call for help when needing to get up or go to the bathroom to prevent falls.
How can patients ensure their safety while using the bathroom in the hospital?
-Patients should call their nurse when getting up to use the bedside commode or the bathroom, and again after they are done to get back in bed. They should also use the bedside commode if they need to go urgently or feel weak.
What safety measures are recommended for patients identified as high risk for falling?
-For high-risk patients, the nursing team will provide a yellow bracelet, use a gate belt for extra support, and may use bed and chair alarms. They will also take additional safety measures like staying close by during toileting tasks.
Outlines
🚑 Fall Prevention in Cancer Treatment
This paragraph emphasizes the importance of fall prevention during cancer treatment at MD Anderson. It outlines the risks that patients face, such as feeling weak, tired, confused, or dizzy due to treatment side effects or low blood counts. It also mentions that certain treatments and medications can increase the risk of falls. The video provides practical advice on how to avoid falls, including calling for help when needing to get out of bed, waiting for staff assistance, and being cautious in unfamiliar hospital environments. The narrative includes a personal account from a lymphoma survivor who had close calls due to falls and underscores the critical role of nurses in ensuring patient safety.
🛑 Safety Measures and Personal Care
The second paragraph focuses on specific safety measures and personal care advice for patients at risk of falling. It discusses the role of the nursing team in providing support and checking on patients, ensuring essential items are within reach, and the use of a bedside commode for urgent needs. The importance of calling a nurse for assistance with toileting tasks and not using an IV pole for support is highlighted. Additionally, it advises on wearing non-skid shoes or socks, turning on lights for better visibility, and using bathroom safety equipment like grab bars and shower chairs. The paragraph also touches on the potential involvement of the rehab team and the use of assistive devices. High-risk patients are given a yellow bracelet and may use a gate belt for extra support. The paragraph concludes with a review of safety practices and a reminder of the hospital's commitment to patient safety.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Falling
💡Cancer treatment
💡Side effects
💡Chemotherapy
💡Blood counts
💡Mobility
💡Sedation
💡Call light
💡Assistive device
💡Bedside commode
💡Non-skid shoes
Highlights
Patients at MD Anderson are educated on fall prevention during cancer treatment.
Falls can cause serious injuries and even death, potentially delaying cancer treatment.
Patients may feel weak, tired, confused, or dizzy due to their disease or treatment side effects.
Low blood counts increase the risk of falling and injuring oneself.
Certain treatments and medications can increase the risk of falls.
Conditions affecting mobility, such as damaged nerves in the feet, can contribute to the risk of falling.
The hospital environment, being unfamiliar, can increase the risk of falls.
Use the call light for help anytime you need to get out of bed.
Furniture, IV poles, and tubes can be fall hazards in the hospital room.
Wet and cluttered floors are a common cause of falls and should be cleaned by staff.
Bob Rozinski, a lymphoma cancer survivor, shares his experience with close calls due to falls.
It's critical to listen to nurses for safety, especially when feeling overconfident.
Nurses can provide guidance on safely transitioning from lying to sitting positions.
Always call for help when needing to use the restroom to prevent falls.
The care team provides extra support when getting out of bed.
Never use an IV pole as support to walk, as it can be unstable and cause falls.
Wear non-skid shoes or socks to prevent slipping when out of bed.
Turn on the lights in the room or bathroom when out of bed to improve visibility.
Physical therapists and occupational therapists may recommend assistive devices for high-risk patients.
High-risk patients are given a yellow bracelet and may use a gate belt for extra support.
Bed alarms and chair alarms are used to alert staff when a patient tries to get up unassisted.
The care team will discuss fall prevention practices and provide necessary equipment.
Patients are encouraged to always call for help to prevent falls, even if a family member or caregiver is present.
Transcripts
[Music]
at md anderson your safety is our
priority in this video we will share
ways you can stay safe throughout
treatment all patients are at risk of
falling a fall may cause a serious
injury such as a broken bone or a head
injury
a fall could delay your cancer treatment
or even cause your death we want you to
call don't fall
no matter what treatment you receive you
need to be careful to avoid falling
your disease or the side effects of
treatment may make you feel weak tired
confused or dizzy
if your blood counts are low your risk
of falling and injuring yourself
increases
falls can happen more often if you are
taking chemotherapy cellular therapy or
certain medicines
you are at an increased risk of falling
if you have received sedation during a
procedure had surgery spent an extended
amount of time in bed or have conditions
that affect your mobility for example
damaged nerves in your feet can cause
prickling burning or a numb sensation
which can make it hard to balance
if you have a history of falls or
general weakness or if you have a fear
of falling you need to use caution when
moving around your hospital room or your
home your age may also increase your
risk of falling
low blood pressure and decreased
nutrition or dehydration can also
increase your risk of falling
certain medicines for pain or nausea
could affect your balance or strength
side effects of steroids allergy
medications like benadryl and diuretics
or water pills may also increase your
risk of falling
you might need to hurry to the restroom
more often because of nausea vomiting or
diarrhea or you may need to use the
bathroom more often because of certain
medicines and iv fluids
these urgent conditions can increase
your risks of falls
we want you and your family to stay safe
in your hospital room this photo shows
what your room may look like
you can see that the furniture and the
equipment are very different from your
home
because it is unfamiliar to you you may
be at an increased risk of falling
use the call light for help anytime you
need to get out of bed tell your nurse
what you need so they will know to come
quickly
please wait for the staff to come to
your room for assistance before
attempting to get up
there are things in your room that could
cause you to fall like furniture your iv
pole and tubes uneven floors different
floor surfaces and inadequate lighting
remember that wet and cluttered floors
can cause you to fall
always ask a staff member to call
housekeeping to clean up any spills
lymphoma cancer survivor bob rozinski
had several close calls while he was a
patient
my name is bob rozinski i'm a lymphoma
cancer survivor
i had a very close call two or three of
them actually it could have been very
bad
my chemo was going well and it made me
feel better and that perhaps led to an
overconfidence of myself and my ability
to walk around on the floor
once i started stumbling i realized two
things perhaps my shoe choice wasn't
very good and second maybe i wasn't
picking my feet up as much
you're walking around with a chemo pole
and it's attached to a central venous
catheter in your chest if i fall that
could have came out could have broke a
nose a hip whatever it could have been
very catastrophic
it's really critical to listen to the
nurses
they're there for our safety
now's not the time to be embarrassed as
a patient about
toileting and having the nurses help us
you know we have to kind of swallow our
pride sometimes
but that's the price for being safe and
that's really what it's all about
i was very grateful for the nurses
explaining to me about going from a
lying position to a sitting position i
had issues at home prior to being
hospitalized with lightheadedness and
dizziness so that was a life lesson for
me
all of us know someone that fell
and spent a lot of time in the hospital
with a broken hip or what have you
it's simple to
prevent that
we just have to take action to do it
our priority is to keep you safe you can
take action to prevent falls when you
call don't fall
always call for help anytime you need to
get up or go to the bathroom your care
team can provide you with extra support
when you need to get out of bed
even if your family member or caregiver
are in the room it's always best to call
your care team for help
while you are in the hospital your
nursing team will review fall prevention
information with you and come into your
room often to check on you we will also
make sure your call light phone glasses
tissues and water pitcher are within
reach
use the bedside commode if you need to
go in a hurry or feel weak
call your nurse when getting up to use
the bedside commode or the bathroom
toilet
for your safety we will stay close by
and help during your toileting tasks
call the nurse again after you are done
using the restroom to help you get back
in bed
you should also call your nurse when you
need to get up or sit down from the
bedside chair in your room
you should never use your iv pole as a
support to help you walk
your iv pole is heavy and could tip over
it could also become unstable as you
move from one floor surface to another
such as when you enter the bathroom be
careful with your iv line because it can
get caught around things in your room
wear non-skid shoes or socks when you
are out of bed
wear proper fitting shoes make sure they
are not too big loose fitting shoes can
cause you to drag your feet which could
make you trip
don't wear croc-like shoes sandals or
backless shoes
don't walk around your room only wearing
your ted hoes the hoes worn without
shoes or socks are slippery and can
cause you to fall
while you are an inpatient you should
also turn on the lights in the room or
bathroom when you are out of bed this
will help you see where you are going
use a shower chair or bench when
showering
use the grab bars in the bathroom
wear your glasses or contacts so you can
see
clearly sit in a chair when taking off
or putting on your pants
depending on your needs you may also
meet with a member of the rehab team if
requested by your medical team
the physical therapist and or
occupational therapist will determine if
you need to use an assistive device like
a walker or cane
they will show you how to use it
properly
if your nursing team has identified you
as being at high risk for falling they
will explain your personal risk factors
follow these practices to keep you safe
you will be given a yellow bracelet to
wear on your wrist
a gate belt will be used when you are
out of bed walking or moving to the
toilet
a gate belt helps provide extra support
if you start to fall
it is important for the belt to be
positioned low and snug to your waist
and three
you good doing well
by keeping a hand on the belt and
walking beside or behind you we can help
prevent a fall and serious injury
the nurse will take additional safety
measures to keep you safe
a bed alarm and chair alarm will be used
for your safety an alarm will sound when
you try to get out of bed or stand up
from a chair
to keep this from happening always call
for assistance when you need to get up
many falls occur during toileting tasks
call for help anytime you need to use
the toilet or bedside commode
for your safety we will stay close by
and help during your toileting tasks we
will do our best to maintain your
privacy
so let's do a quick review
you may be at a high risk of falling and
a fall can result in a serious injury
including death your risk of falling can
change at any moment
even if you are walking on your own
before coming into the hospital for
treatment you need to call for help
anytime you need to get up
remember to stay safe and help prevent
falls always call your care team for
help anytime you get up even if your
family or caregiver is in the room
talk with your nurse about your needs
use the call light
use the bedside commode
wear non-skid shoes or socks
turn on the lights in your room
remember to stay safe and help prevent
falls
wear your glasses or contacts or hearing
aids
use the installed grab bars and shower
chair in the bathroom
use the assistive device approved by
your care team
for your safety your care team will
provide you with a bedside commode use a
gate belt
use an assistive device to help you walk
activate the bed alarm chair alarm and
or toilet alarm as indicated
we recommend these practices to keep you
safe while you were in the hospital
if you decline our recommendations the
care team will discuss them with you
further
your safety is our top priority
always remember how important it is to
call don't fall
[Music]
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