FALL ALARMS

Fall alarms have proven to reduce falls at home or in nursing homes and hospitals. Fall alarms serve as an “early warning system” as the alarm sound alerts the nursing staff when a patient is engaging in activities that are likely to result in a fall. Fall alarms can play a vital role in helping staff to prevent a serious injury as a result of a fall.

Fall alarms are not a restraint. As such they do not prevent a patient from getting up nor are they designed to prevent a patient from falling. Fall alarms are designed to alert staff to a potentially hazardous fall event via a high decibel level auditory sound. Fall alarms have proven to reduce the critical response time of staff members to a fall risk situation. It is not the fall alarm itself but rather the timely response of staff members to the alarm sound that can potentially prevent a fall from occurring.

All types of fall alarms function in a similar manner. They allow patients to maintain a free movement zone or an area of normal activity. If the patient exceeds the free movement zone the alarm sound will alert staff members to a potentially dangerous fall situation. The alarm may be set to sound in the patient’s room and/or at the nurse’s station, in a hallway or on a staff member’s pager.