Fall Alarms

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1 Not intended for external distribution.
 Why do we
use bed
alarms?
• To prevent patient falls
• To alert staff to movement from
patient that might result in injury.
• To reduce the potential of injuries
resulting in liability and loss.

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2 Center for Clinical Advancement Not intended for external distribution.
Why is it
Falls are Serious and Costly
important to
prevent • One out of five falls causes a serious injury such as broken bones or
a head injury
patient falls? • Each year, 3 million older people are treated in emergency
departments for fall injuries.
• Over 800,000 patients a year are hospitalized because of a fall
injury, most often because of a head injury or hip fracture.
• Each year at least 300,000 older people are hospitalized for hip
fractures.7
• More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling, usually by
falling sideways.9
• Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
• In 2015, the total medical costs for falls totaled more than $50
billion.11 Medicare and Medicaid shouldered 75% of these costs.
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3 Center for Clinical Advancement Not intended for external distribution.
What are the
What Can Happen After a Fall?
consequences
of a fall with • Many falls do not cause injuries. But one out of five falls does
cause a serious injury such as a broken bone or a head
injury? injury. These injuries can make it hard for a person to get around,
do everyday activities, or live on their own.
• Loss of independent • Falls can cause broken bones, like wrist, arm, ankle, and hip
lifestyle fractures.
• Increased medical costs • Falls can cause head injuries. These can be very serious,
• Psychological injury (fear of especially if the person is taking certain medicines (like blood
falling). thinners). An older person who falls and hits their head should see
their doctor right away to make sure they don’t have a brain injury.
• Many people who fall, even if they’re not injured, become afraid of
falling. This fear may cause a person to cut down on their
everyday activities. When a person is less active, they become
weaker and this increases their chances of falling.
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RISK FACTORS
Are there reasons for falling
that we need to look for?
Both falls in a hospital
and at home previously
should alert staff that
the patient has a high
potential for falling.
5 Center for Clinical Advancement
What Conditions Make a Patient More Likely to Fall?
Research has identified many conditions that contribute to falling. These are called
risk factors. Many risk factors can be changed or modified to help prevent falls.
They include:
• Lower body weakness
• Vitamin D deficiency (that is, not enough vitamin D in your system)
• Difficulties with walking and balance
• Use of medicines, such as tranquilizers, sedatives, or antidepressants. Even some over-
the-counter medicines can affect balance and how steady you are on your feet.
• Vision problems
• Foot pain or poor footwear
• Hospital hazards or dangers such as
• Tubing and machines that clutter the room
• Getting up without assistance by staff
• Being left unattended in the bathroom
• Most falls are caused by a combination of risk factors. The more risk factors a
person has, the greater their chances of falling.
• Healthcare providers can help cut down a person’s risk by reducing the fall risk factors
listed above.
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Falls happen all over the US. Some states have as high
as 33% of older adults falling with an injury

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6 Center for Clinical Advancement Not intended for external distribution.
Fall Deaths by state

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7 Not intended for external distribution.
 Cost of Older
Adult Falls
• Falls among adults age 65 and older are
very costly. Each year about $50 billion is
spent on medical costs related to non-fatal
fall injuries and $754 million is spent related
to fatal falls.1
• Non-fatal falls:
• $29 billion is paid by Medicare
• $12 billion is paid by private or out-of-
pocket payers
• $9 billion is paid by Medicaid
Direct medical costs include fees for hospital and nursing home care, doctors
• As the number of Americans age 65 and
older grows, we can expect the number of
and other professional services, rehabilitation, community-based services,
fall injuries and the cost to treat these use of medical equipment, prescription drugs, and insurance
injuries to soar.
processing. Direct costs do not account for the long-term effects of these
injuries, such as disability, dependence on others, lost time from work and
household duties, and reduced quality of life

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8 Not intended for external distribution.
So what do I have to
do to prevent falls
every day?
If you are moving a patient in their bed to a test, surgery, another room, it is YOUR responsibility to make
sure fall precautions remain in place.

If you are handing a patient off to the next shift, it is YOUR responsibility to make sure the fall precautions
are in place and the person following you is aware of these precautions.

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9 Not intended for external distribution.
Make sure the bed is at
least 1 foot (12 inches)
away from the wall to
prevent damage to the
outlet.
• When the bed is pulled away from or
returned to the wall and it hits the
outlet, this can cause significant
damage to our falls system.
• When you transport a patient, verify
that the cord is disconnected from the
wall, and when the patient returns to
the room it is reconnected.
• Please avoid slamming bed against
the wall when transporting

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10 Not intended for external distribution.
How can I tell
if the outlet is
damaged?
• Drywall might be broken
• Outlet might be displaced.
• Screws missing or fixture
damaged
• You cannot plug the bed in.
• BROKEN OUTLETS REQUIRE
A WORK ORDER TO BE
ENTERED FOR PLANT
OPERATIONS BEFORE YOU
LEAVE FROM YOUR SHIFT.

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What is the difference between a plugged in bed and one
that is not?

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12 Not intended for external distribution.
The cords must be
checked at admission,
shift change and with
each time you move
the patient in their bed
All patients should be handed
off by staff when being moved,
for instance:
• From Room to Room
• From Room to Testing
• From Room to OR
• From ED to Room.

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13 Not intended for external distribution.
 Bedside Shift
Report.
• Should be done at BEDSIDE, not at
nurse’s station or in the hallway. This is
our expectation and standard of care.

• Patients and family (when able) should

participate in the report. You gain
valuable information from their input.

• Now that we have reduced number of

isolation rooms, this should make BSR
easier to complete.

• If you have questions or need additional

instruction on BSR, please see your
director or charge nurse/manager.

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14 Not intended for external distribution.
Bed, Stretcher, • Single patient use (15-30 days of use,
depending on pad type)

& Chair • Application:

• check that pads, cords and plugs are
clean & undamaged
Sensor Pads • test sensor pad & alarm
• position patient with weight centered on
pad
• Cleaning:
• Dampen (but DO NOT soak) a clean
cloth with disinfectant. Use extra care to
clean sensor pad cord plugs.
• To reduce the risk of damage, NEVER
use Phenol based disinfectants; immerse
in liquid; or sterilize with heat.
• Use a clean, DRY cloth to dry all parts.

REVIEW MANUFACTURER’S
INSTRUCTION GUIDE

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In summary:
• Falls are a danger to our patients resulting in death, severe injury, increased litigation potential,
accreditation and regulatory issues.
• Falls are prevented by following our Falls Prevention Policy which includes assessing precautions
at each shift change or with a change in condition.
• Handoff should include visual inspection of the bed alarm plug in to determine status including
damage or need for plug in.
• If a plug is damaged, please file a work request prior to the end of your shift, and report it to your
supervisor for follow up.
• Bedside shift report should be completed at bedside, not in hallway or nurse’s station. This is the
expectation of the hospital and the standard of care.
• Ensure proper sensor pads for beds, stretchers, and chairs are clean, undamaged, working as
designed, and placed appropriately for patient
• Questions should be directed to your Director, Manager or Charge Nurse.

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 CONFIDENTIAL – Contains proprietary information.
17 Not intended for external distribution.