This assessment is usually done upon admission and routinely thereafter. The most important reason for using an assessment tool is to identify fall risk factors that can support developing an individualized care plan for each patient. Reassessment should be done whenever is a change in a patient’s condition, or when he or she is being transferred to another unit. DO: Ask the Implementation Team Leader to address the following questions: Does the staff at your hospital conduct standardized fall risk assessments upon admission? Does the staff reassess patients using a standardized risk assessment? If so, when? Which risk assessment tool do you use? Slide 15 SAY: It is recommended that you use a reliable, prospectively validated risk assessment scale. This helps to identify patients at risk for anticipated physiological falls and provides the basis for a tailored or personalized care plan. Slide 16 SAY: A standardized assessment tool should be used throughout units. Add unit-level risk factors as needed. For example, on a geriatric psychiatry ward, a fall risk factor may be orthostatic hypotension due to medications. to Tool 3F for evaluating orthostatic vital signs. Slide 17 SAY: Key risk factors to be assessed are:
This assessment is usually done upon admission and routinely thereafter. The most important reason for using an assessment tool is to identify fall risk factors that can support developing an individualized care plan for each patient. Reassessment should be done whenever is a change in a patient’s condition, or when he or she is being transferred to another unit. DO: Ask the Implementation Team Leader to address the following questions: Does the staff at your hospital conduct standardized fall risk assessments upon admission? Does the staff reassess patients using a standardized risk assessment? If so, when? Which risk assessment tool do you use? Slide 15 SAY: It is recommended that you use a reliable, prospectively validated risk assessment scale. This helps to identify patients at risk for anticipated physiological falls and provides the basis for a tailored or personalized care plan. Slide 16 SAY: A standardized assessment tool should be used throughout units. Add unit-level risk factors as needed. For example, on a geriatric psychiatry ward, a fall risk factor may be orthostatic hypotension due to medications. to Tool 3F for evaluating orthostatic vital signs. Slide 17 SAY: Key risk factors to be assessed are: