SA Health PowerPoint Template - Green - Falls Prevention in SA

FALLS PREVENTION AND
MANUAL HANDLING
What’s the link?
Pam Dean
BAppScOT, MHlthSc(OT)
Trainer
Prevention of Falls and
Harm from Falls
Safety & Quality Unit
SA Health

National evidence based Guidelines
Preventing Falls and Harm From
Falls in older people
http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/internet/s
afety/publishing.nsf/Content/FallsGuidelines
ACUTE AGED CARE COMMUNITY

Subacute
250
200
150
100
No. falls
Injury Incidents
50
0
1998/99 2000/01 2002/03 2004/05
Courtesy St.Margaret’s Rehabilitation Hospital, Adelaide SA

Different Frames of Reference
Risk
management
Prevention
Manual Handling
Red Dot
Preventing falls and harm from falls

Occupational
Health & Safety
concerned
primarily with
Linkage between Red Dot and Green Box
Falls prevention
approaches
concerned with
STAFF
Individual risk
factors
Age, general
health & fitness,
injury, fatigue,
training, etc
INTERACTION RISKS
SYSTEMS, EQUIPMENT
& PRACTICES OF CARE
Problems with unsafe systems,
equipment & staff availability
ENVIRONMENT
Problems with slipping, tripping,
lighting, steps or moving hazards
PATIENT
Individual risk
factors
Problems with
balance, gait,
medications,
continence,
vision, feet, etc
Red Dot
- System to identify
manual handling needs
for moving patients
-reducing
staff injury
Acknowledgement: Michele
Sutherland & Kirsten Mitchell
Risk assessment
and care plan
Green box
– resources for implementing
National Guidelines
-Reducing falls & harm from
falls to patients in hospital
& residential care
31

RED DOT SYSTEM
Independent
Light assistance of 1 person
Assistance from 2 people
Non-weight bearing
Acknowledgement: Manning Base Hospital, NSW

Falls Prevention system
Intrinsic Risk Factors
Age – advanced age 75+ years and 55+ years of ATSI
History of falls – predictive of more falls
Conditions affecting behaviour, mental state, judgement
or insight – sometimes modifiable
Conditions affect ability to transfer and mobilise safely
Medications affecting reaction time, motor function,
cause dizziness, postural drops in BP or Drowsiness.
Polypharmacy.
Risk factors for injury or harm should a fall occur:
•Poor bone strength; osteoporosis
•Frail skin
•Low BMI
•Anticoagulant therapy or bleeding disorder

Occupational
Health & Safety
concerned
primarily with
Linkage between Red Dot and Green Box
Falls prevention
approaches
concerned with
STAFF
Individual risk
factors
Age, general
health & fitness,
injury, fatigue,
training, etc
INTERACTION RISKS
SYSTEMS, EQUIPMENT
& PRACTICES OF CARE
Problems with unsafe systems,
equipment & staff availability
ENVIRONMENT
Problems with slipping, tripping,
lighting, steps or moving hazards
PATIENT
Individual risk
factors
Problems with
balance, gait,
medications,
continence,
vision, feet, etc
Red Dot
- System to identify
manual handling needs
for moving patients
-reducing
staff injury
Acknowledgement: Michele
Sutherland & Kirsten Mitchell
Risk assessment
and care plan
Green box
– resources for implementing
National Guidelines
-Reducing falls & harm from
falls to patients in hospital
& residential care
31

Systems, equipment and practices of care:
Manual handling
Falls prevention
Systems: no or minimal lift;
red dot
Frame of reference:
risk management
Equipment: lifters, etc. to
reduce strain on workers.
(Staff focused).
Restraint physical /
chemical
Systems: National
guidelines – risk
identification and
reduction of risk
Frame of reference:
Prevention
Equipment: to promote
independence and
function
(older person focused)

Systems, equipment and practices of care:
Care Practice:
Care Practice:
>Task oriented
>Systems and practices to
benefit staff
>Level of risk identified
> “Standard” falls prevention
strategies
> Identify risk factors
> Minimise bed rest
> Promote independence
and activity
> Involve and inform older
person and family

Environment
Manual handling focus
Falls prevention focus
> Routine OHS&W audits
> OHS&W audits +
> Assessment of
individual hazards
resulting from identified
intrinsic risk factors
interacting with the
environment

Risk Assessment and Care plan
Strategies to
manage identified
level of falls risk:
>increase monitoring
and surveillance –
dependent on staff
availability
>provide assistance
>reduce physical activity
e.g restraint;
> Multifactorial and
multidisciplinary
strategies to
reduce identified
risk factors

Red Dot says
“I will do my best to keep you safe,
because you are at risk of falls”
– dependent of nursing staff
Falls Prevention says
“I will work out why you are at risk of
falling, and take action to reduce those
risk factors”
– uses multifactorial and
multidiscipilnary interventions

Good falls prevention
complements safe manual
handling practice and minimal
lift principles
> Older people are safer and
more independent
> Staff injuries are decreased
and there is less need for
manual handling
> Falls risk in managed and
reduced
= Improved safety and quality
of life for older people and
staff WIN, WIN!