1. CHAPTER EIGHT
PROMOTING SAFETY

2. RISK FACTOR
AGE
CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY NEED TO BE PROTECTED FROM INJURY
PHYSICAL CHANGES OF AGING PUT OLDER PERSONS AT RISK OF ACCIDENTS
MOVEMENTS ARE SLOWER AND LESS STEADY. BALANCE IS AFFECTED.
HAVE DECREASED STRENGTH
DECREASED SENSITIVITY TO HEAT AND COLD
POOR VISION AND HEARING

3. DECREASED MENTAL AWARENESS
RISK FACTOR
DECREASED MENTAL AWARENESS
CONFUSED PATIENTS MAY PLACE THEMSELVES IN DANGER BECAUSE THEIR JUDGEMENT IS IMPAIRED
A PERSON IN A COMA ( UNCONSCIOUS ) IS TOTALLY HELPLESS AND DEPENDENT ON OTHERS FOR SAFETY

4. IMPAIRED SMELL AND TOUCH
RISK FACTOR
IMPAIRED VISION
MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THINGS IN THEIR WAY. MAY BE ACCIDENTALLY POISONED
IMPAIRED HEARING
MAY NOT HEAR WARNING SINALS OR FIRE ALARMS
IMPAIRED SMELL AND TOUCH
MAY NOT DETECT SMOKE OR GAS ODORS
DECREASED SENSITIVITY TO HEAT AND COLD

5. RISK FACTOR IMPAIRED MOBILITY
SOME DISEASES AND INJURIES AFFECT MOBILITY
PERSON MAY BE AWARE OF DANGER BUT UNABLE TO MOVE TO SAFETY

6. RISK FACTOR MEDICATIONS
MEDICATIONS MAY CAUSE WEAKNESS, DIZZINESS, OR CONFUSION
MEDICATIONS USED TO INDUCE URINATION OR DEFECATION MAY CAUSE THE PATIENT TO FALL WHILE HURRYING TO THE TOLIET

7. RISK FACTOR STAFF NEGLIGENCE FAILURE TO CLEAN UP A SPILL
INCORRECT MOVING AND LIFTING TECHNIQUES
IMPROPER USE OF RESTRAINTS
NOT ANSWERING CALL LIGHTS PROMPTLY

9. THE MOST FREQUENT ACCIDENT IN A HEALTH FACILITY IS A FALL AND THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF A FALL IS WET, SLIPPERY FLOORS.

10. IDENTIFY THE PATIENT BY CHECKING THE ID BRACLET BEFORE YOU GIVE CARE
THE BRACLET HAS THE PERSON’S NAME, ROOM AND BED NUMBER, BIRTH DATE, AGE, AND OTHER IDENTIFYING INFORMATION

11. ACCIDENT PREVENTION

12. ALWAYS ANSWER CALL LIGHTS PROMPTLY
ACCIDENT PREVENTION
ALWAYS ANSWER CALL LIGHTS PROMPTLY
SIDE RAILS HELP PREVENT THE PATIENT FROM FALLING OUT OF BED

13. SAFETY MEASURES TO PREVENT FALLS
HELP WITH ELIMINATION NEEDS
USE CORRECT PROCEDURES AND EQUIPMENT FOR TRANSFERS
GRAB BARS IN SHOWERS AND BATHROOMS
KEEP BED IN LOWEST HORIZONTAL POSITION
BED RAILS ARE USED ACCORDING TO THE CARE PLAN
CRUTCHES, CANES, AND WALKERS HAVE NON-SKID TIPS
WHEEL LOCKS ON BEDS AND WHEELCHAIRS
NON-SKID FOOTWEAR USED WHEN UP
RESPOND PROMPTLY TO BED AND CHAIR ALARMS

14. FALL STATISTICS MOST FALLS OCCUR IN THE EVENING
A HISTORY OF FALLS INCREASES THE RISK OF FALLING AGAIN
FALLS ARE ALSO LIKELY TO OCCUR AT SHIFT CHANGE

15. BED RAILS
THE NURSE AND THE CARE PLAN WILL TELL YOU WHEN TO RAISE THE BED RAILS
BED RAILS PREVENT THE PERSON FROM GETTING OUT OF BED – ARE CONSIDERED RESTRAINTS
THE PERSON MUST GIVE CONSENT FOR BED RAILS TO BE USED
RESTRAINTS MUST HAVE A DOCTORS ORDER
YOU MAY LOWER THE RAILS TO GIVE CARE, BUT RAISE THEM BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE BEDSIDE
ALWAYS LOWER THE BED TO THE LOWEST POSITION WHEN FINISHED GIVING CARE

17. HAND RAILS AND GRAB BARS
HAND RAILS ARE PLACED IN HALLWAYS TO HELP SUPPORT PERSONS WHO ARE WEAK OR UNSTEADY
GRAB BARS ARE IN BATHROOMS AND IN SHOWER AND TUB ROOMS
WHEEL LOCKS
LOCK WHEELS ON BED WHEN GIVING BESIDE CARE OR WHEN TRANSFERRING TO AND FROM BED
WHEELCHAIR AND STRETCHER WHEELS ARE LOCKED DURING TRANSFERS

18. REPORTING ACCIDENTS AND ERRORS
ACCIDENTS ARE RECORDED ON A SPECIAL FORM CALLED AN INCIDENT REPORT.

19. PREVENTING BURNS SMOKE ONLY IN SMOKING AREA
DO NOT LEAVE SMOKING MATERIAL AT BEDSIDE
DO NOT ALLOW PERSON TO SMOKE IN BED
DO NOT ALLOW PERSON TO SMOKE NEAR OXYGEN
SUPERVISE HEATING PAD USE
MEASURE BATH WATER TEMPERATURE

20. PREVENTING POISONING
MAY BE CAUSED BY CONFUSION OR POOR VISION WHEN READING LABELS
CLEANING AGENTS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SHOULD BE KEPT IN LOCKED CABINETS
KEEP PERSONAL CARE ITEMS (SHAMPOO, MOUTHWASH, DEODORANT) AWAY FROM CONFUSED RESIDENTS

21. PREVENTING SUFFOCATION
CUT FOOD INTO SMALL PIECES
MAKE SURE DENTURES ARE IN PLACE. REPORT LOOSE FITTING DENTURES
REPORT PERSONS WITH SWALLOWING DIFFICULTIES
DO NOT GIVE FLUIDS TO PERSONS WITH FEEDING TUBES
POSITION THE PERSON PROPERLY IN BED
USE RESTRAINTS AND SIDE RAILS CORRECTLY

22. PREVENTING EQUIPMENT ACCIDENTS
DO NOT USE EQUIPMENT WITH FRAYED CORDS
DO NOT OVERLOAD ELECTRICAL OUTLETS

23. SAFETY MEASURES TO PREVENT EQUIPMENT ACCIDENTS
FOLLOW MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS
DO NOT USE UNFAMILIAR ITEMS WITHOUT TRAINING
USE ITEM ONLY FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE
REPORT BROKEN OR DAMAGED ITEMS
TURN OFF EQUIPMENT BEFORE UNPLUGGING IT

24. SAFETY MEASURES WITH WHEELCHAIRS
ALWAYS PLACE THE PATIENT’S FEET ON THE FOOTPLATES
ALWAYS LOCK THE WHEELS WHEN TRANSFERRING
CLEAN THE WHEELCHAIR ON A REGULAR BASIS
MOVE THE FRONT RIGGING OUT OF THE WAY WHEN TRANSFERRING

25. BACK INTO THE ELEVATOR SO THE PATIENT FACES THE FRONT
BACK DOWN A RAMP WITH A WHEELCHAIR

26. STRETCHER SAFETY
IT TAKES TWO WORKERS TO SAFELY TRANSFER A PERSON ON A STRETCHER
FASTEN THE SAFETY STRAPS WHEN A PERSON IS ON A STRETCHER
ALWAYS RAISE THE SIDERAILS ON THE STRETCHER
MAKE SURE THE PERSON’S ARMS AND HANDS ARE INSIDE THE RAIL
PUSH THE STRETCHER FEET FIRST
ONE PERSON STANDS AT THE HEAD AND ONE AT THE FOOT
NEVER LEAVE THE PERSON UNATTENDED

27. TRANSFER THE PATIENT FEET FIRST DOWN A RAMP
ENTER THE ELEVATOR HEAD FIRST

28. THE FALLING PATIENT

29. HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE IS ANY CHEMICAL IN THE WORKPLACE THAT CAN CAUSE HARM
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES MUST HAVE WARNING LABELS
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS
(MSDS)
AN INFORMATION SHEET ABOUT THE HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL

30. FIRE SAFETY
EXAMPLES OF
FIRE
HAZARDS

31. FIND
THE
SAFETY
HAZARDS

32. THREE THINGS ARE NEEDED FOR A FIRE
TRIANGLE
THREE THINGS ARE NEEDED FOR A FIRE
A SPARK OR FLAME
A MATERIAL THAT WILL BURN
OXYGEN

33. OXYGEN SAFETY

35. CLOSE ALL DOORS AND CLEAR THE HALLWAY OF EQUIPMENT
YOUR FIRST RESPONSIBILITY IS TO REMOVE ALL PATIENTS WHO ARE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER.
CLOSE ALL DOORS AND CLEAR THE HALLWAY OF EQUIPMENT
DO NOT USE THE ELEVATOR IN A FIRE

36. KNOW
WHERE
THE
EXITS
ARE
LOCATED

37. FIRE EXTINGUISHERS TYPE A – IS USED ON PAPER, WOOD, OR TRASH CAN FIRES
TYPE B – IS USED ON FLAMING LIQUIDS, SUCH AS OIL OR GREASE
TYPE C – IS USED FOR ELECTRICAL FIRES
TYPE ABC – IS USED FOR ALL KINDS OF FIRES AND IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE FOUND IN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES

38. TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER
P- PULL THE SAFETY PIN
A- AIM THE EXTINGUISHER TOWARD THE BASE OF THE FIRE
S -SQUEEZE DOWN ON THE HANDLE
S- USE A SWEEPING MOTION OVER THE BASE OF THE FIRE

40. RESCUE
TECHNIQUES
ONE PERSON –
ONE RESCUER

41. RESCUE TECHNIQUES

42. RESCUE TECHNIQUES
TWO RESCUER TECHNIQUE

43. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE VIOLENT ACTS DIRECTED TOWARD PERSONS AT WORK
TO DEAL WITH AGGRESIVE PERSONS
STAND AWAY FROM THE PERSON
STAND CLOSE TO THE DOOR
KEEP YOUR HANDS FREE
STAY CALM
DO NOT TOUCH THE PERSON
LEAVE THE ROOM AS SOON AS YOU CAN
TELL THE NURSE OR SECURITY OFFICER