Serious Injuries Can Result from Falls
A fall can lead to serious medical complications, particularly among the elderly. Anyone with neurological issues, musculoskeletal disabilities, dementia, balance problems or visual impairment and anyone taking certain types of medications are at an increased risk of falling. These people must pay particular attention to slippery floors, stairs, loose area rugs, clutter and areas with poor lighting in order to protect themselves from bone fractures or head trauma.
For people over age 65, it is estimated that 10% of the falls resulting in injury occur while they are in a health care institution such as a hospital. The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society estimates that between 2- 12% of all hospitalized patients fall during their hospitalization. That rate may be as high as 46% for patients recovering from strokes. Hospitals floors are often slippery because of spills or cleaning solutions and they are often cluttered with medical equipment. Further, patients are often taking multiple medications which can affect their balance and may be suffering from dementia or osteoporosis which makes them more likely to fracture a bone when they lose their balance and fall.
The other 90% of falls occur at home or in public places. It is important to seek prompt medical treatment after a fall in order to determine if there are any bone fractures or head injuries. In order to determine whether any of these injuries exist, medical professionals must conduct specific tests as soon as possible to treat any conditions before they become more serious. A patient who experiences a fall, particularly an elderly patient or a patient in pain, should not be discharged without a thorough examination and diagnosis.
Hip Injuries
According to the American Geriatrics Society, 14-36% of patients who suffer a hip fracture from a fall in a hospital will die from the injury within one year. Other groups estimate the percentage of deaths from this injury to be closer to 50% within one year.
While a fall resulting in a hip fracture can occur in any hospital ward, the accident and resulting injury seem to be most common among elderly patients and on psychiatric wards. Many hospitals have conducted fall risk assessments and implemented fall prevention schemes in an effort to decrease the accident and injury rate. While these efforts may prevent some people from falling and fracturing their hips, it should not replace individual assessments and safeguards based on a patient’s unique needs.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Many of us imagine traumatic brain injuries occurring as a result of a traumatic accident such as a car crash. However, a traumatic brain injury can occur as a result of a simple slip and fall. In fact it is estimated that in 2005, about 8,000 people in the United States died from falls that resulted in traumatic brain injuries and that another 56,000 suffered significant injuries.
Traumatic brain injuries can be more difficult to diagnosis and are more often overlooked than hip fractures. What appears to be a simple bump on the head can in fact be a life threatening brain injury. In fact, something as simple as falling out of bed can result in a traumatic brain injury for some patients. Therefore, it is important for doctors and hospitals to recognize the potential for brain injuries that result from slip and fall accidents and to use appropriate diagnostic tools to determine if a brain injury resulted from a patient’s fall.
For many patients, life threatening conditions may arise out of a simple slip and fall accident. In order to get the necessary medical care to improve a patient’s chances of survival, hospitals and doctors must take precautions to prevent falls and must appropriately diagnosis any hip fractures, traumatic brain injuries or other injuries that result from a patient’s fall.