Introduction | New or Updated Items | Getting Started | Falls Notebook | Media Tools | Resources | Contact Us

Falls are one of the most common adverse events in hospitals. Many facilities are working to find ways to reduce the number of falls as well as the severity of the falls that do occur. In an effort to help facilities, we created the Falls Toolkit. The Falls Toolkit provides information on:   • Designing a falls prevention and management program   • Effective interventions for high-risk fall patients   • Implementing hip protectors for high-risk fall patients   • Educating patients, families and staff on falls and fall-injury prevention

 

Tips and Tricks for Selecting a Bedside Floor Mat

Blood Thinner Pamphlet

 

Fall prevention is an important and timely issue. In 2003, falls represented nearly 47% of all safety reports and aggregated events within the VA National Center for Patient Safety's database, and 11% of all Root Cause Analyses occurring in calendar year 2003 were fall-related.

The VA National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) worked with the Patient Safety Center of Inquiry in Tampa, Florida, and others to develop the NCPS Falls Toolkit. The toolkit is designed to aid facilities in developing a comprehensive falls prevention program.

The Falls Toolkit Introduction Monograph and Falls Toolkit PowerPoint provide background information on falls and the falls toolkit.

• Falls Toolkit Introduction Monograph (Word) | (PDF)
• Falls Toolkit PowerPoint

You can quiz yourself or others on the Falls Toolkit by playing Falls Toolkit Jeopardy.

• Falls Toolkit Jeopardy PowerPoint

If you are looking for:	Go To:
Information on falls and fall prevention	The Falls Toolkit Notebook
Posters, fliers, brochures and other printed materials	Media Tools
Educational materials and other resources	Resources
Contact Information	Contact Us

We appreciate feedback on this site and materials. Provide us with suggestions for improving the web site and pass on stories as to how you used this information to improve the falls prevention program at your facility. To reach us, please see the Contact Us section.

 

Title	Document Format
• Contents	PDF size: 39KB	WORD size: 20.5KB
• Instructions	PDF size: 47KB	WORD size: 36.5KB
• Background	PDF size: 56KB	WORD size: 43KB
• Falls Team	PDF size: 40KB	WORD size: 38KB
• Falls Policy	PDF size: 2.9MB	WORD size: 252KB
• Interventions	PDF size: 89KB	WORD size: 1.72MB
• Measuring Success	PDF size: 68KB	WORD size: 79.5KB
• Resources	PDF size: 90KB	WORD size: 127KB
• Videos 1-2-3 Video 1: Performing a Balance Assessment Video 2: Hip Protectors in an Inpatient Setting Video 3: Protecting your Hips with Hip Protectors	PDF size: 95KB	WORD size: 104KB

Download the entire Falls Toolkit Notebook

• The Complete Falls Notebook

PDF size: 3.2MB

 

at_risk.pdf File Size: 95KB Printed Size: 8.5 x 11 in Pages: 1	care_poster.pdf File Size: 75KB Printed Size: 11 x 17 in Pages: 1
fall_risk_evals.pdf File Size: 7KB Printed Size: 8.5 x 11 in Pages: 1	timed_up_and_go_test.pdf File Size: 18KB Printed Size: 8.5 X 11 in Pages: 1
morse_falls_pocket_card.pdf File Size: 10KB Printed Size: 3x5 in Pages: 2	hip_protectors.pdf File Size: 93KB Printed Size: 11 x 17 in Pages: 1
hip_pad_brochure.pdf (coming soon) File Size: 88KB Printed Size: 11 x 8.5 in Pages: 2	fall_prevention_at_home.pdf File Size: 229KB Printed Size: 11 x 8.5 in Pages: 2
falls_toolkit_buttons.pdf File Size: 1.6MB Printed Size: 8.5 x 11 in Pages: 1	Blood Thinners: Risk Factors Associated with Falling and What to Do When You Fall File Size: 95KB Printed Size: 11 x 8.5 in Pages: 2

 

Education

• Balance Assessment Handbook (PDF, 187KB)
• Education Resource Guide (PDF, 8.1MB)
• Hip Fracture Education (POWERPOINT, 212KB)
• Identifying Patients Using a Falling Star (St. Cloud) (POWERPOINT, 391KB)

Falls Collaborative Breakthrough Series

• Creating a Safe Environment (PDF, 166KB) | (WORD, 68KB)
• Identifying and Engaging Stakeholders (PDF, 143KB) | (WORD, 32KB)
• Implementing a Falls Assessment Program (PDF, 209KB) | (WORD, 154KB)
• Utilizing Protective and Assistive Devices To Prevent Injuries Due To Falls
    (PDF, 159KB) | (WORD, 75KB)

Web Sites

• The Administration on Aging (HHS)
• American Association for Retired Persons (AARP)
• CDC - National Center for Injury Prevention
• CDC - National Center for Injury Prevention: A Toolkit to Prevent Senior Falls
• The Gerontological Society of America
• The American Geriatrics Society. Clinical Practice Guideline: Prevention of Falls in Older Persons (2010)
• Practicing Physician Education in Geriatrics Project: Falls Toolkit
• National Institute on Aging
• learn NOT to fall

Other

• Example Toileting Worksheet (Word, 51KB)
• Fall Rate Calculator (XLS, 13KB)
• NCPS - Falls Toolkit Notebook: Resources (PDF, 78KB)
• Technology Assessment Guide (PDF, 360KB)
• The Falls Prevention flip book - the flip book provides information on performing the Morse fall scale and a falls risk assessment, identifies prevention interventions, and discusses post-fall documentation.
• Tips and Tricks for Selecting a Bedside Floor Mat (DOC, 227KB)

 

Thank you for your continued commitment to falls prevention. If you have any questions or would like more information use the contact information detailed below.

Erik Stalhandske
Erik.Stalhandske@va.gov

 

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