What should be done if a patient experiences a near fall?

What should be done if a patient experiences a near fall?

• A. Perform an immediate assessment
• B. Document only if an injury occurs
• C. Ignore and monitor the patient
• D. Transfer them to another facility

Answer: (A)

If a patient experiences a near fall, performing an immediate assessment is crucial to evaluate their current condition and identify any potential injuries or causes that may have led to the near fall. This assessment helps determine whether the patient is at ongoing risk for falling again and allows healthcare providers to initiate appropriate interventions. Conducting a thorough assessment can include checking the patient's vital signs, reviewing their medical history for underlying issues, and assessing their environment to find safety hazards. Addressing these factors proactively can enhance patient safety and improve overall care. The other options do not prioritize patient safety effectively. Documenting only if an injury occurs may overlook situations where a fall risk could lead to future incidents, while ignoring and merely monitoring the patient fails to address immediate safety concerns. Transferring the patient to another facility is typically unnecessary and would not resolve the underlying issues that may have contributed to the near fall.

If a patient experiences a near fall, performing an immediate assessment is crucial to evaluate their current condition and identify any potential injuries or causes that may have led to the near fall. This assessment helps determine whether the patient is at ongoing risk for falling again and allows healthcare providers to initiate appropriate interventions.

Conducting a thorough assessment can include checking the patient's vital signs, reviewing their medical history for underlying issues, and assessing their environment to find safety hazards. Addressing these factors proactively can enhance patient safety and improve overall care.

The other options do not prioritize patient safety effectively. Documenting only if an injury occurs may overlook situations where a fall risk could lead to future incidents, while ignoring and merely monitoring the patient fails to address immediate safety concerns. Transferring the patient to another facility is typically unnecessary and would not resolve the underlying issues that may have contributed to the near fall.