Criterion 5.3.6 RISKS OF PATIENT FALLS

 Criterion 5.3.6

Processes to reduce the risk of patient falls are developed and implemented.

1) Main Thoughts:

a) Injuries to patients can occur due to falls in health facilities. The risk of falls can occur in patients with a history of falls, drug use, drinking alcoholic beverages, balance disorders, visual disturbances, mental disorders, and other reasons.

b) Screening is carried out in accordance with policies and procedures prepared to minimize the risk of falls in outpatients and assessment of the risk of falls in emergency room patients and inpatients at the Community Health Center.

c) Fall risk screening is carried out on outpatient patients by taking into account

(1) patient condition: for example geriatric patients, dizziness, vertigo, balance disorders, visual disturbances, drug use, sedation, consciousness and/or mental status, and alcohol consumption;

(2) diagnosis: for example, patients with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease;

(3) situations: for example, patients receiving sedation or patients with a history of prolonged bed rest who will be transferred for supporting examinations from an ambulance and changing positions will increase the risk of falls;

(4) location: for example, the results of identifying areas in the Community Health Center that are at risk of patient falls, including locations that have lighting problems or have other barriers, such as physiotherapy service areas and stairs.

d) Criteria for screening for possible fall risks must be established, both for inpatients and outpatients, and efforts must be made to prevent or minimize falls in health facilities.

e) Examples of tools for conducting assessments on inpatients are the Morse scale for adult patients and the Humpty Dumpty scale for children, while for outpatients this is done using the get up and go test or by asking three questions, namely

(1) have you ever fallen in the last 6 months;

(2) whether using medications that disrupt balance; And

(3) whether standing and/or walking requires the help of another person.

If the answer to one of these questions is yes, the patient is categorized as being at risk of falling.

2) Assessment Elements:

a) Screening of patients with a risk of falling in outpatient settings and assessment of the risk of falls in the ER and inpatient care is carried out in accordance with policies and procedures and efforts are made to reduce this risk (R,O,W,S).

b) Evaluation and follow-up are carried out to reduce the risk of situations and locations identified as being at risk of patient falls (D, W).