Lippincott Nursing Pocket Card - October 2021
More than one in four American adults 65 years of age and older have reported falling and one in five sustain a severe fall-related injury, including fractures and traumatic brain injuries (CDC, 2021). Falls account for over 50% of injury-related deaths in older adults annually (Haddad et al., 2018). Many factors contribute to the increased risk of falls in the elderly, including mobility impairment, poor balance, chronic illness, and vision impairment. Nurses play a vital role in reducing patients’ fall risk by implementing a risk assessment scale, early intervention strategies and education.
Intrinsic Factors
For patients with comorbidities, consider the following recommendations (Kiel, 2018b):
Already a member? Sign in
© 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. – Terms & Conditions – Privacy Policy – Disclaimer -- v08.01.00