Falls Nursing

Question 1

intrinsic factors

Answer 1

internal, e.g., muscle wastage, dehydration, poor mental health, hypotension, etc.

Question 2

extrinsic factors

Answer 2

loss of limb(s), drug yuse, malnourishment, innapropriate furniture, culprit medications etc.

Question 3

behavioural factors

Answer 3

rushing to get up
getting up in dark
postural hypotesnion
overreaching/standing
poor safety awareness

Question 4

what is post-fall syndrome

Answer 4

• common in older people
• characterised by a fear of falling
• lack of confidence & voluntary restriction on activity due to fear
• can result in mental health problems, such as depression
• can reasuly in physical health issues; UTI from not going to toilet enough, dehydtration from not making drinks

Question 5

what is decreased shock absorption

Answer 5

process by which our muscles absorb the brunt of force. if this ability/capacity is decreased, injury is much more likely

Question 6

what is common in older people’s ankles?

Answer 6

• stiff ankle joints which can cause postural insability due to inability to flex ankle/foot

*reduced strenght of ankle muscles

Question 7

somatosensory and falls in older people relation?

Answer 7

the somatosensory system is a network of neurones which help us recognise objects, discriminate textures, etc.

in older people and those with neurological conditions, their system’s structure and function may have declined

this can make foot positioning difficult; affecting mobility/increasing risk of falls

Question 8

how often should older people have their eyes checked?

Answer 8

<75 annually
>75 (and/or diabetic) twice annually

Question 9

basic checks for reducing falls risk

Answer 9

*glasses on
*hearing aids in
*non-slippery footwear/grippy socks on

Question 10

what is delirium & its triggers?

Answer 10

an acute deterioration in mental functioning arising over hours or days and which is triggered by;

*medical illness
*drugs
*surgery
*trauma
*dehydtration

Question 11

what does polypharmacy mean?

Answer 11

the term used to describe someone taking 6≥ medications

Question 12

what are culprit medications? & their mechanisms

Answer 12

medicines which contribute to falls by a variety of mechansisms;

*distrubed balance
*hypotension
*dizziness
*confusion
*blurred vision

Question 13

what is postural hypotension?

Answer 13

a drop in someone’s BP upon sitting or standing up

Question 14

symptoms of postural hypotension?

Answer 14

*chnages in vision
*weakness
*dizziness
*losing consciousness with/without warning

Question 15

enviromental risks for falls

Answer 15

*incorrect height of bed/chair

*un-worn aids; hearing aids/glassess/mobility aids

*no access to call bell

*innapropriate footwear

Question 16

link between incontienence and fall risk

Answer 16

a loss of confidence in mobilising can restul in;

*not getting up for drinks and therefore rsiking dehydtration & hypotension, and their own risks

*not going to the toilet enough and risking a UTI from urinary retention

Question 17

what is nocturia and why is it a falls risk

Answer 17

a condition which causes a perosn to be awoken during the night to urinate. a falls risk because it means mobilising when tired and in the dark.

Question 18

how soon must a falls risk be carried out

Answer 18

within 24 hours of admission/transfer to another ward/depaetment

Weekly or sooner if the patient falls or their condition changes