Moving safely and preventing falls while in hospital
Our “ Keeping You Safe from Falls ” programme starts when you enter hospital .
Slips , trips and falls can happen to anyone and sometimes patients can fall while in hospital .
General advice
Why does this happen ?
• A number of medical conditions can increase your risk of falling .
• Disorientation due to unfamiliar surroundings .
• The effect of medications .
• Problems with walking and balance .
Unfortunately some patients will still fall despite all of us following the advice given on this page . However by working together with you , your relatives and carers , we aim to minimise the risk of falls .
So what will the hospital do ? We may :
• Move your bed to a more suitable position on the ward to allow us to observe you more closely .
• Assist you if you are having difficulty with walking , or if you need help with your personal care .
• Teach you how to move safely with appropriate walking aids .
Remember that if you need help , please ask !
CALL – DON ’ T FALL
What can I do to keep myself safe ? You can :
• Use your call bell .
• Keep everything you need within easy reach and reduce clutter by sending home anything that you don ’ t need .
• Bring with you all your necessary personal items such as your glasses and hearing aids .
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