Patients are highly susceptible to falling and the consequences of falling are, usually, more serious with the elderly people in hospitals. Statistics have it that, falls represent the fifth leading cause of death. The mortality rates from falls increase significantly with the age of patients. According to Pozgar (2011), for patients of 75 years of age and above, the mortality rate from falls is five times higher than for those under the age of 75 years.
Generally, older persons have a greater chance of experiencing a fatal fall. According to Scuffham (2003), the disabilities and mortality for over 75% of people culminate from falls. Falls result from multiple and diverse risks factors most of which can be curbed if necessary measures are taken into consideration. This paper seeks to discuss falls as a clinical issue, focusing specifically on a Guide to Action for Falls Prevention as a guideline.
Justification for the selection of falls as a clinical issue
Falls were selected as a clinical issue for this study since it has been an issue of concern in hospitals and other health centers. The issue has contributed to injuries and mortalities especially among aged persons. The rate at which the issue has contributed to deaths and injuries makes it an issue of concern by many researchers in the attempt to come up with prevention measures.
The issue requires immediate clinical attention to curb the associated dangers. Despite the attempts that have been to come up with policies and guidelines to prevent falls, the cases are still experienced. Since in some cases falls may happen due to negligence of the clinical officers and nurses, there is also a need to put in place remedies to the victims of such negligence. This issue is significant enough to investigate.
According to Morse (2008), falls, were once considered an “accident”, an unavoidable problem of illness, disability, or even frailty of advanced age. As a result, falls were taken as accidents while they are not. Te injuries from them were taken only as “bad luck” while indeed it is not the case. There is, therefore, a need to investigate the issue and ensure that it is not just taken as an accident and its injuries as bad luck.
A Guide to Action for Falls Prevention, as indicated by Kate et al. (n. d), as a guide was created specifically to assist professionals from various organizations to identify and respond to factors that might increase falls risk. Kate indicates that there is a need for further evaluation of the guideline to ensure that it affords a practical way of giving falls prevention interventions and reducing the risks. It is therefore important to investigate this issue in the context of Guide to Action for Falls Prevention written about by Kate and colleagues.
The relationship between A Guide to Action for Falls Prevention and falls as a clinical issue
Patient falls, generally referred to as falls, are issues that require clinical attention and intervention. The problem needs to be solved to mitigate the gangers that culminate from it. To achieve this, A Guide to Action for Falls Prevention was developed to enable the clinical professionals to acknowledge the factors likely to cause falls and also how to prevent them. The guide is therefore set to help solve the clinical issue selected.
Reference list
Kate, R., et al. (n. d). Thinking falls – taking action: a guide to action for falls prevention. British Journal of Community Nursing, 15 (8): 1-6.
Morse, J. (2008). Preventing Patient Falls: Establishing a Fall Intervention Program. London: Springer Publishing Company.
Pozgar, G. (2011). Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Scuffham, P. (2003). Incidence and costs of unintentional falls in older people in The United Kingdom. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 57(9): 740-4.