RUA Speak Up Reduce Your Risk of Falling
The brochure is titled “speak up, reduce your risk of falling” which was produced by the Joint Commission in August 3rd, 2011. The information provided in the brochure targets healthcare organizations among them: hospitals and nursing homes, which provide care to individuals at risk of falling due to the effects of illness or medication. It also addresses individuals who may be at risk of falling at their residential places due to various factors like darkness, slippery floors, and stairs, obstructed pathways, medication, vision problems and being ill or not physically fit (Speak Up- Reduce Your Risk of Falling, n.d).
The information provided in the brochure points out that every individual whether sick or well, physically fit or not is at risk of fall in one instance or another; people are at risk both at the hospital and at home. Hence the information is out to benefit all individuals in general.
Summary of the brochure
The brochure mainly focuses on factors that expose people to the risk of falling in hospitals and at the areas of residence. It also clearly suggests the possible ways to preventing and reducing the risks of falling in the hospital and at homes. Disease process, which weakens a person, and medication effects like weakness, sleepiness dizziness and confusion were pointed out as the major causes of falls among the sick in healthcare organizations(Tsao & Browne, 2015). In the areas of residence, the brochure pointed at slippery floor and stairs, the presence of darkness and obstructed pathways as contributing factors to falls. Options guiding on how to reduce the risks of falling are provided. Some of them include: exercising regularly to build strength among the weak, avoiding being dehydrated, regular visual checkups, getting early warning concerning effects of medication and asking for help from clinicians in case one feels unsteady. At home, individuals are encouraged to use non-slip footwear, use of lights in case of darkness and avoid slippery floors and stairs. While using the staircase, people are advised to use handrails.
Communication between patients and healthcare providers in the healthcare organizations has been emphasized in various ways, especially as far as falling of patients while in a clinical setting is concerned. Health caregivers ought to talk to their patients on the effects of the medication they administer especially on causing them to be sleepy, light-headed, sluggish and confused so as to take precautions against falling after taking the medication. The patients, on the other hand, should talk to their caregivers in-case of such effects in the course of medication for the clinicians to intervene or advise accordingly (Speak Up- Reduce Your Risk of Falling, n.d). In case of unsteady feeling, the patients ought to attract the attention of care providers for assistance before getting out of bed.
Brochure critique
The information provided in the brochure was clear, precise and straight to the point. The information is exhaustive and easy to understand. It points to practical occurrences hence can easily be integrated into the daily living of target population. It is so educative. However, the layout of the cover page is not catchy and the topic addressed does not clearly come out on the cover page. The picture used does not clearly correlate with the issue talked about. There is repetition of points when addressing ways to avoid risks of falling.
Current nursing and health care researches support the information provided in the brochure. Falling of patients in clinical areas is one the common causes of negative patients outcome while receiving care. Hence through research, nurses and other caregivers are concerned with facilitating factors to patient falling and evidence-based interventions to reduce falls among patients in the clinical settings.
The information provided in the brochure has wide applications, not only in the homes and hospitals but also at places of work. Hence it is beneficial to every individual who will have an opportunity to go through it. The information will benefit greatly the patients who did not know they are at risk of fall or did not understand the cause of their fall, above all they will be enlightened on the danger signs to report and ask for help. According to Tsao & Browne (2015), patient advocates will also be beneficiaries of the information provided. They will be more informed hence involved in the health care their patients receive.
Conclusion.
Fall can cause serious injuries to individuals depending on the place of fall and magnitude. Illness and medication is among the major contributing factors to falling among many more like slippery footwear and floor. In the various community setting, falling is the main cause of injuries and physical body impairments yet the subject is given little attention. There is need to find more about falls among people and spread wide the information, especially on the preventive measures.
References
Speak Up- Reduce Your Risk of Falling. (n.d). Jointcommission.org. Retrieved 30 March 2018,
from https://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/Speakup_falls_brochure.pdf
\Tsao, K., & Browne, M. (2015, December). Culture of safety: A foundation for patient care.
In Seminars in pediatric surgery(Vol. 24, No. 6, pp. 283-287). Elsevier.
