Emergency care: Falls

As a nursing assistant, sometimes you will need to handle some emergencies while providing care for clients; one of these is when a client falls.

Now, clients at risk for falls should always use assistive devices when ambulating, and a nursing assistant should be present with them during ambulation in the event that they begin to fall.

If a client does begin to fall or appears unsteady or complains of dizziness, hold your arms up and around the client’s waist or under their arms.

Grab onto the transfer belt if already in use and bring them closer to your body. Be sure to keep your feet shoulder width apart to give you a wide base of support and keep your back straight.

Don't pull their arms trying to stop the fall as this may cause further injury to their bones or joints. Then, let the client slowly slide down while leaning against you until their buttocks rests on your legs.

As they slide down, bend your hips and knees to gently lower the client to the floor; make sure to protect the client’s head from injury. Now, stay with the client, calm them down, and call a nurse to assess them.

If you find a client on the floor, and you didn’t witness the fall, don’t try to move them as this may worsen any injury they might have had. Stay with the client, calm them down, and call a nurse to assess them.

Alright, after alerting the nurse in charge, they’ll check the client for injuries. For those with minor or no injuries, you can work on transferring them back to their bed.

If the client can stand on their own, let them do so while observing them or help them to stand using a transfer belt.

If the client can’t stand, you will need to manually lift the client using a transfer or drawsheet or use an assistive device, like a mechanical lift.