Preventing Patient Falls

About this book

Every hospital and nursing home must face the problem of patient falls. Not only are the patients at risk for serious injury but the institution must deal with the financial liability that can result from these accidents. Preventing Patient Falls is the culmination of Janice M. Morses eight years of research into patient falls and what can be done to prevent them. The book presents the authoritative Morse Fall Scale for predicting the likelihood of a patient falling and more important how it can be implemented in a comprehensive fall prevention program. Morse addresses the issues of creating a safe institutional environment measuring the fall and resulting injury rates in institutions and the use and effectiveness of patient restraints bed alarms and safer beds. Nurses and other clinicians as well as administrators of health care facilities will find the transfer of this top-of-the-line research into direct practice to be invaluable. Nursing and health care researchers will also find Morses expanded discussion of her Fall Scale a useful resource.