Something Powerful

Tell The Reader More

The headline and subheader tells us what you're offering, and the form header closes the deal. Over here you can explain why your offer is so great it's worth filling out a form for.

Remember:

  • Bullets are great
  • For spelling out benefits and
  • Turning visitors into leads.

DiversityNursing Blog

Smart Socks Could Reduce Patient Falls

Posted by Erica Bettencourt

Thu, Sep 01, 2022 @ 01:52 PM

154145443-9e7e357f-87d3-447f-993b-069632259bfaEach year, somewhere between 700,000 and 1,000,000 people in the United States fall in hospitals. 

Falls can have a major impact on a patient's health which usually results in high costs and extra days in the hospital.

The average medical cost for each patient fall is $10,220, or $10 billion annually.

Palarum’s PUP (Patient is UP) “smart” socks could help decrease patient falls. 

These smart socks are wired with sensors that sends an automatic alert to the three closest Nurses, via smart badges, when a patient tries to get up from a hospital bed and puts pressure on the socks. 

A group of Nurses at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC) conducted a 13-month study with 569 people who were at high risk for falling.

Results from the study show there were 4999 Smart Socks alarms, but none of the patients fell. They observed a lower fall rate, of 0 per 1000 patient-days, for patients wearing Smart Socks than the historical fall rate of 4 per 1000 patient-days. The median Nurse response time was 24 seconds.

"While further study is needed, I do believe there is an opportunity for these socks to be used in inpatient hospital settings, Nursing homes and rehab facilities," said Tammy Moore, PhD, RN, senior study author and Associate Chief Nurse of Ohio State’s Neurological Institute.

“Due to the rapidly aging population, the number of patients at higher risk of falling in hospitals is expected to increase substantially. About 30% of in-hospital falls are thought to be preventable, so it’s imperative to determine better ways to keep our patients safe from falling while hospitalized,” said study co-author Tina Bodine, a Nurse Navigator at Ohio State’s Neurological Institute. 

According to Scrubsmag.com, the sensors on the socks last about five to seven days before they need to be charged. Once the patient has been discharged from the hospital, the sensors are removed, cleaned and charged. The socks are laundered with the rest of the hospital’s linens.

Patrick Baker is the founder and CEO of Palarum. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel who spent 25 years in the U.S. Air Force, has worked in hospitals for more than 30 years, most recently as Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer with the University of Cincinnati Health System.

Baker said "Everybody already gets a sock when you go to a hospital. Why not have it be a smart sock that can help keep our patients safer?"

The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and Palarum previously came together to evaluate Palarum's innovative e-wearable technology.  

"As a healthcare professional and retired Lt. Col USAF, I am especially proud to be partnering with the VA Palo Alto Health Care System to demonstrate the benefits of the PUP sock technology and its ability to reduce patient falls thereby increasing the safety of our hospitalized Veterans," said Baker.

 

Topics: preventing falls, smart socks, patient falls, Palarum PUP smart socks, fall risk patients

Hospital Fall Prevention Tips

Posted by Erica Bettencourt

Tue, Nov 07, 2017 @ 10:43 AM

HE-AA393_IMMOBI_J_20170908161830.jpgAs a Nurse, you have long been committed to reducing and preventing patient falls. In fact, call lights, checklists and risk assessments are just a few types of fall-related tools that you've become accustomed to. While these strategies have improved patient safety, it’s time to start thinking differently about how we approach falls.

According to EBSCO, Fall prevention remains one of the most challenging patient safety initiatives in any healthcare setting. Notwithstanding the risk for patient injury or death, a fall with injury is expensive and the estimated average cost is $14,000 (TJC, 2015). Falls and trauma were identified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as preventable adverse events. CMS will not reimburse hospitals if falls and trauma occurred as a secondary hospital acquired-condition.

Below are some tips from Brigham and Women's Hospital that may prevent future falls.

  • Fall and injury risk assessments for each patient
  • More sensitive bed alarms or chair alarm to help alert staff that a patient is getting up and may need assistance
  • Video, informational brochure, communication signs to inform patients and families about fall risks and how to be safe in the hospital
  • Patient Comfort Rounds, which includes routine safety checks on each patient by the nurse or care assistant to make sure that the patient:
    • Is comfortable and pain is controlled
    • Receives assistance with toileting and other personal or special needs
    • Is assisted with re-positioning in the bed or chair
    • Can reach personal items
  • Is in a safe environment
  • Discussions with pharmacists and doctors to review and adjust certain medications as needed if a patient is at high risk for falling
  • Communicating the risk for falls, injuries from a fall, and a safety plan to patients/families and other members of the health care team
  • Having no more than three side rails up on the bed at any one time to allow patients an easy pathway out of the bed
  • Mobility supports and assistive devices that meet the patient's needs
Have more questions or concerns about fall prevention? Click below to submit your question to our Nurse Leaders!
Click Here To Ask Question

Topics: fall prevention, preventing falls

Recent Jobs

Article or Blog Submissions

If you are interested in submitting content for our Blog, please ensure it fits the criteria below:
  • Relevant information for Nurses
  • Does NOT promote a product
  • Informative about Diversity, Inclusion & Cultural Competence

Agreement to publish on our DiversityNursing.com Blog is at our sole discretion.

Thank you

Subscribe to Email our eNewsletter

Recent Posts

Posts by Topic

see all