GERIATRIC

NURSING
MA.ALICIA GRACE S. KAIMO, RN, MAN
INSTRUCTOR

Universidad de Manila, College of Health Sciences

Module Title Theoretical Foundation of Nursing

Module No. 2

Total study hours Hrs. Lecture

Module writer: Ma. Alicia Grace S. Kaimo

Introduction Prevention of problems that older adult might encounter in their later stage
of life.
Module Aims This aims to impart to the learners’ the different nursing management and
protocols on how to make the environment safe for older adult.
Module Learning Outcomes For the learners to understand the immediate needs and implementation of
nursing management of older adult.

Content Risk for Fall and prevention

Teaching/Learning Activities Online, Synchronous, Asynchronous

Assessment methods
Program Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Level/Placement 3rd year, 1st semester

Course Title Geriatric Nursing

Course code NCM 114

No. of Units units

Pre-requisite

Course Description

Rationale This course deals with the development of proper nursing care management for the different problems
that older adult might experience and how students might help to prevent such.

Focus The changes experience by an individual in the later stage of life. And the execution of proper nursing
care management to problems encountered by them.
Outcome At the end of the course, the learners are expected to appreciate and utilize relevant application of
nursing care plan on the different challenges experience by an older adult.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, the learners will be able to:
Disseminate information on prevention of problems that older adult
might experience.
Familiarize the need for standard protocol that would help older adult to
prevent accident at home.
11 Nursing Care Plans (NCP) and
Nursing Diagnosis for Geriatric
Nursing
1. Risk for Falls
Nursing Diagnosis
o Risk for Falls

Risk Factors
o Common risk factors for the nursing diagnosis risk for falls:
o Age (especially ≥ 65 years)
o Impaired physical mobility
o Loss of muscle strength
o Altered sensory perception
o Presence of illness (Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, osteoporosis
o Urinary incontinence
o Use of medications
o Disorientation
o Dizziness
o Lack of knowledge of environmental hazards secondary to confusion
o Improper use of aids (e.g., canes, walkers, wheelchair, crutches)
Desired Outcomes
Expected outcomes or patient goals for risk for falls nursing
diagnosis:

Patient will be free from falls.

Patient and caregiver will implement measures to increase safety and
prevent falls in the home
Nursing Interventions and Rationale
In this section are the nursing actions or interventions and their
rationale or scientific explanation for the nursing diagnosis risk for
falls:
Nursing Intervention Rationale
Nursing Assessment
These factors will help in determining
interventions necessary for the
Identify factors that increase the level patient. Risk factors include age,
of fall risk presence of an illness, sensory and
motor deficits, medication use, and
inappropriate use of mobility aids.
 Nursing Assessment
A patient who is not familiar with the
Assess the patient’s environment for placement of furniture in an area or
factors associated with an increased who has inadequate lighting in the
risk for fall house increases the risk for falls.

Therapeutic Interventions
Secure a wristband identification to Healthcare providers need to recognize
warn healthcare providers to patients at high risk for falls to
implement fall precaution on the implement measures to promote
patient. patient safety and prevent falls.
Provides easy access to assistive devices
Place assistive devices and commonly and personal care items. Items such as
use items within reach. call bell, telephone, and water should
be kept close to avoid frequent
reaching.
 Therapeutic Interventions
Review hospital protocols regarding
transferring a patient.
Keep the patient’s bed in the lowest
position at all times.
Answer call light as soon as possible.
Use side rails on bed as needed
Advise the patient to wear shoes or
slippers with non-slip soles when
walking.
Hospital facility should have clear
policies and procedures during transfers
that will ensure the patient’s safety.
Keeping the bed closer to the floor
prevents injury and risk of falls.
This is to prevent an unstable patient
from ambulating without any
assistance.
Raising the side rails reduces the risk of
patients falling out of bed during
transport.
Wearing non-slip footwear help
prevents slips and falls.
 Therapeutic Interventions
The patient should be familiarized with
Orient the patient to the surroundings. the bed, location of the bathroom,
Avoid re-arranging the furniture in the furniture, and other environmental
room. hazards that can cause older patients to
trip or fall.
Ensure the patient’s room is well-lit. Providing lighting in key places can
Consider the use of a bedside lamp reduce fall risk and avoid obstacles
that is turned on at night. during mobility.
Encourage the family and other Prevents the patient from accidentally
significant others to stay with the falling or pulling out tubes.
patient at all times.
 Therapeutic Interventions
Ensure the patient’s eyesight is Hazard can be lessened if the patient
regularly checked and explain the utilizes appropriate aids to improve
importance of wearing eyeglasses if visual and auditory orientation to the
needed. Make sure glasses and hearing environment. Visually impaired patients
aids are always worn. are at high risk for falls.
Instruct the patient how to ambulate at Help relieve anxiety at home and
home, including using safety measures eventually decreases the risk of falls
such as handrails in the bathroom. during ambulation.
Exercises can improve muscle strength,
Encourage the patient to engage in a balance, coordination and reaction
program of regular exercise and gait time. Physical conditioning reduces the
training. incidence of falls and avoids injury that
is sustained when a fall happens.
 Therapeutic Interventions
A review of the patient’s prescribed
medications will recognize side effects
and drug interactions that may enhance
Collaborate with other health care fall injury risk. The more medications a
team to assess and review patient’s
medications that can contribute to the patient takes, the greater the risk for
side effects and interactions such as
risk for falls. Identify the peak effects of orthostatic hypotension, dizziness,
the medications that can alter the
consciousness of the patient. confusion, urinary incontinence, and
altered gait and balance. Polypharmacy
in older adults is a significant risk factor
for falls.
 Therapeutic Interventions
The use of gait belts provides a more
Evaluate the need for physical and secure means to safely assist patients
when transferring from bed to chair.
occupational therapy to assist patient Assistive aids such as wheelchairs,
with gait techniques and provide the
patient with assistive devices for canes, and walkers allow the patient to
have stability and balance during
transfer and ambulation. Initiate a ambulation. High toilet seats can
home safety evaluation as needed.
facilitate safe transfer on and off the
toilet.
“Prevention is better than cure.”
Thank you!!