Heartbeat: Colleagues come together to tackle pressure ulcers and falls

March 5, 2019

Earlier this month colleagues from across our organisation gathered at the Education Centre at Sandwell Hospital to learn how best to prevent pressure ulcers and patient falls.

Launching the event Chief Nurse, Paula Gardner, introduced the aims and objectives of the exhibition highlighting the impact that patient falls and pressure ulcers can have on the recovery and experience of patients in our care.

“The first of our falls and pressure ulcer summits has had an amazing turnout by colleagues eager to learn and hopefully through our interactive workshops and engaging presentations, we have shared some invaluable knowledge that they can take back and put in to practice.

“Invariably patients will fall in hospital, but what we have to do is put all of the risk assessments in place to mitigate any falls to keep our patients safe. If our patients fall, we don’t want them to come to any harm. Today we’re doing this by enlightening colleagues on the different aspects of falls risk assessments, post fall huddles and ensuring we work in a multidisciplinary approach.”

Falls facts:

• An 800 bed hospital will have on average 1,500 patient falls a year
• SWB averages 1,000 patient falls a year
• Average cost to the NHS per patient fall is £2,600
• Approximately 1,400 deaths a year across England are due to falls in hospital
• 1 in 4 patients who suffer a broken hip following a fall die within six months

Alongside presentations from both colleagues in the tissue viability team and the falls prevention team, attendees had the opportunity to test a brand new bed that has the ability to highlight exactly where a patient is likely to suffer pressure related injuries through its cutting edge sensors.

To find out more about the summits or to get some information on patient falls and pressure ulcers you can contact the tissue viability team on ext. 3278.