Mission Hospital McDowell is Dedicated to Helping Prevent Falls

With September comes the arrival of cooler temperatures in our mountains and the start of a new school year, but on the healthcare calendar, this month also marks Falls Prevention Month. We may not often think about the risks or repercussions of falls, but we should — falls are the number one cause of injury for older Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, more than 14 million in this age group alone fall annually.

We must be highly sensitive to fall risks and do everything in our power to prevent them here at Mission Hospital McDowell (MHM) as well.

We know that medications impact fall risk since they can impact wakefulness, balance, and memory. Simply having a urinary tract infection (UTI) puts one at a higher risk for falls, as does being affected by a neurological condition like stroke or Parkinson’s disease. At MHM, every one of our patients is screened for fall risk and all patients admitted to the hospital are screened repeatedly by nurses for fall risk, every 12 hours. We also visually identify patients who are particularly at risk for falls with wrist bands and color-coded stars on the door frames of their rooms.

Our patient rooms are equipped with both bed and chair alarms that are turned on for any patients who are classified as either at moderate or high risk for falls. Our therapists also write instructions and safety information on the white board in a patient’s room that specifies what type of assistance they might need when ambulating.

Additionally, all patients wear nonskid socks, so if they do move about, they won’t slip, and any patients who need assistive devices, like wheelchairs, walkers, or lifts, while moving around or transitioning from a bed to a chair, receive them. Every room and patient bathroom has a call light or pull cord that patients can use to connect to the nurse or patient care technician’s mobile phone. Additionally, our hospital has Americans with Disability Act-compliant design features that lower fall risk too.

If a patient is at high risk for falls, they are placed in a room where staff can observe them in real time, so if they try to get out of bed, staff can come to their aid. For patients with memory issues, we are fortunate to be able to assign a sitter to their room who can remind them about staying in bed.

Fortunately, there has not been a fall with significant injury at MHM since December, 2023, but if an incident occurs, MHM uses an event reporting platform to log events. Any team member who witnessed a fall or found a patient who has fallen completes a form debriefing the unit’s team, our Falls Committee, MHM’s Administrative Director of Quality, and the department leader, who review every event. Our goal is to identify the root cause of the event and to reduce the risk of another fall in the future.

Our hospital’s Falls Committee is a multidisciplinary team who reviews relevant research, implements prevention best practices, and examines any falls that occur within the hospital monthly. As of January, 2024, we started focusing on rewarding fall prevention.

Another important aspect of fall prevention is staff and patient education. Our team members receive yearly interactive/video education on fall prevention, workplace injury prevention, body mechanics, lift training, safe patient transfer methods, environmental risks, and more. Weekly and monthly nursing department updates that keep fall prevention top of mind are also part of our protocol, and patients and family/caregivers receive fall prevention education as well through one-on-one interaction and signage.

For our community members who are at home, it’s critical to remove fall hazards like cords, slippery throw rugs, and clutter, and to keep every area, from hallways to staircases, clear and brightly lit. Keep kitty litter or road salt on hand to spread on icy walkways and ensure the outside of your home is well-lit too, and free of tripping hazards.

When you’re outside, keep your hands free, wear shoes that fit properly, and mind safety signage. For example, if you’re hiking near a waterfall, stay away from slippery rocks and enjoy these activities with a friend or group.

By staying vigilant, we can keep ourselves and our loved ones safe from falls, both inside and outside the hospital.

Lee Higginbotham is Chief Executive Officer of Mission Hospital McDowell in Marion. He is an accomplished healthcare leader with nearly three decades of diverse experience in healthcare. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia, Higginbotham earned his Master of Health Care Administration (MHA) from The Medical College of Virginia and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He resides in Marion. Lee is most proud to be a husband to his best friend and father of three remarkable children.