Action to take when a patient falls in hospital

Time scales for review Call for assistance

1. Medical review required

within ONE hour when patient has:-
Head injury * Trained nurse to attend
Pain
Obvious limb deformity
Immediate Assessment
•Examine for any signs of injury
2. All other patients should have •Airway + breathing+ circulation
medical review within 4 hours. •Pain
Earlier review should be requested if: - •Limb movement / deformity
Increased MEWS score
Change in behaviour
Complaints of pain
Once off floor:
-Full examination for presence of any
injury.
3. Falls at night
Ibleep system: -Establish whether any pain.
Red call if head injury, pain, obvious
limb deformity -Check MEWS score and commence
Amber call – all other falls half hourly neuro-obs if patient hit
their head.
For some patients who fall during the night &
have not sustained any obvious injury, it may
be appropriate for medical review to be -Inform medical team/Hospital at
delayed until the following morning Night team to ask for review
All such decisions must be taken by and (see Box 1)
documented by a member of the Hospital @
Night team

Ensure:
•Patient reviewed & examined
•Prn analgesia prescribed (presume patient will have some pain following fall)
•Datix report completed
•Relatives informed by staff on duty at time of incident
•Falls notification form completed

If fracture or head injury sustained senior sister, lead nurse and falls co-ordinator MUST
be informed by e-mail

Produced in accordance with NPSA Rapid Response Alert NPSA/2011/RRR001 BL 2013