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Clinical Procedures - Aiding a Fallen Patient
• It is important to assess the fallen patient immediately, to establish the cause for the fall and any immediate consequences (e.g. fainting, fractures, or cardiac arrest) so that staff can respond to the situation accordingly.
Equipment
• Minimum of 2 members of staff
• Other equipment dependent on circumstances:
• 2 chairs, trolley, slide sheets, hoist with appropriate sling.
Procedure
If patient is cooperative
• Instructions may be given to help the patient up from the floor. Ask the patient to follow this routine:
• Roll onto their side.
• Push up on their hands until they are in a sitting position..
• Bend their knees up and move onto all fours...
• Place their hands onto the seat of a chair for balance...
• Move one leg forward, so they are in a half kneeling position..
• At this point, the patient should be able to push with their hands to stand up, and sit on a chair placed behind them
• If needed, the patient can now be hoisted onto a trolley for further assessment.
If patient is uncooperative
• A hoist should be used.
If fallen in a confined space
• Place a slide sheet under their body
• With a minimum of 2 members of staff, the patient can then be slid on the floor a short distance to allow better access to assist the patient:
• It is essential that the members of staff maintain a good posture at all times during this procedure.
Procedure Tips
It is essential to establish the cause of the fall and act accordingly
• D It is important that, as the patient is moving up from the floor, their condition is continuously monitored:
If the patient has fainted, they may be at risk of falling again
• It is important to allow the patient time to carry out the manoeuvre, as this will reduce the amount of manual assistance required from staff
• It is extremely important that the patient is NEVER LIFTED
• Lifting a patient is hazardous and may result in staff injury.
Documentation
• All patients should have assessments carried out within 24 hours of admission and placed in their file
• Any fall should be documented in the patient's notes to ensure other ward staff are aware of any problems.
• It is important to assess the fallen patient immediately, to establish the cause for the fall and any immediate consequences (e.g. fainting, fractures, or cardiac arrest) so that staff can respond to the situation accordingly.
Equipment
• Minimum of 2 members of staff
• Other equipment dependent on circumstances:
• 2 chairs, trolley, slide sheets, hoist with appropriate sling.
Procedure
If patient is cooperative
• Instructions may be given to help the patient up from the floor. Ask the patient to follow this routine:
• Roll onto their side.
• Push up on their hands until they are in a sitting position..
• Bend their knees up and move onto all fours...
• Place their hands onto the seat of a chair for balance...
• Move one leg forward, so they are in a half kneeling position..
• At this point, the patient should be able to push with their hands to stand up, and sit on a chair placed behind them
• If needed, the patient can now be hoisted onto a trolley for further assessment.
If patient is uncooperative
• A hoist should be used.
If fallen in a confined space
• Place a slide sheet under their body
• With a minimum of 2 members of staff, the patient can then be slid on the floor a short distance to allow better access to assist the patient:
• It is essential that the members of staff maintain a good posture at all times during this procedure.
Procedure Tips
It is essential to establish the cause of the fall and act accordingly
• D It is important that, as the patient is moving up from the floor, their condition is continuously monitored:
If the patient has fainted, they may be at risk of falling again
• It is important to allow the patient time to carry out the manoeuvre, as this will reduce the amount of manual assistance required from staff
• It is extremely important that the patient is NEVER LIFTED
• Lifting a patient is hazardous and may result in staff injury.
Documentation
• All patients should have assessments carried out within 24 hours of admission and placed in their file
• Any fall should be documented in the patient's notes to ensure other ward staff are aware of any problems.
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