Reducing falls in pediatric patients means more staff
Reducing falls in pediatric patients means more staff
Children’s Memorial Medical Center in Chicago and South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, NY, have instituted a number of strategies to reduce falls among its young patients. These are some of the techniques:
- Decrease nurse-to-patient ratios when a patient has difficulty with balance. Nurses with fewer patients can keep a closer eye on patients prone to fall.
- Involve parents with fall prevention efforts. Hospital staff teach family members about the risk of falling and provides tips on how to remove hazards and keep a close eye on the child. Reminding them to raise the side rails on the bed is very important. Even the most attentive parent might forget because the child’s bed at home doesn’t have side rails. Consider adding signage in the room reminding parents about side rails.
- Assign a patient aide for one-to-one care for the patient who wanders or has difficulty moving around. This provides someone to watch the child and prevent falls without having to restrict the child’s mobility.
- Use safety devices whenever possible. These include seatbelts on wheelchairs and side rails on beds.
- Make sure all children sleep in age-appropriate beds. Cribs with bubble tops can prevent falls from babies trying to crawl out of bed, for instance, but all children should sleep in beds similar to what they sleep in at home so they feel comfortable and are not compelled to climb out.
- Provide nonslip socks for children. A child’s regular socks may provide no traction. Socks or booties with rubber on the soles are much safer and inexpensive to hand out to patients when needed.
- Ask parents about the child’s tendencies. Does the child crawl out of the crib at night? Is he a jumper? Does she try to crawl up on counters to reach things?
- Remove magnets to the child’s attention. Wheelchairs, IV poles, desk chairs with wheels, and other common items in a hospital can attract a child’s attention and prompt him to get up and go play with those things. As much as possible, remove the temptation from sight.
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