Fall Prevention? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Fall Prevention!
Patient Transport Tech to patient: “Okay, let me make sure the brakes are set on this wheelchair so it doesn’t try to roll away from under you and hurt you…”
30-Something Patient: “That’s okay, I need the lawsuit money.”
Call me a horrible person, but I truly wanted to walk into that room, give the patient a good smack across the face and swift kick in the balls, and then do a complete 180 towards the transport tech and say, “I just want you to know that I appreciate that you are acting in the best interests of both the patient, the hospital, and your job. Keep up the great work,” before casually strolling back out.
Yeah, I’d probably lose my job if I did that. So maybe it’s a good thing that I had other business on that floor?
By the way, Humble Hospital has made it a point that it is every single associate’s job to prevent falls, even if they aren’t directly involved with patient care. We are all taught about fall risks and how to recognize if an impatient is a fall risk by door markers, gown colors, armbands…yup, we take fall prevention VERY seriously. (Oh, and let’s not forget that a fall put my grandfather in the hospital, and a second fall in the rehab unit completely paralyzed him from the neck down.) It’s entirely possible that I’m taking this fall prevention stuff too seriously, though…
Oh why am I NOT surprised by the comment… sigh… Betting that one is living on disability/gov’t handouts now and needs more to pay for their cell phone/cable/whatever…
Wouldn’t hurt to let the transport tech’s boss know you appreciate the maturity shown by the tech. Attaboys are cheap, but few and far between…
As soon as I find out that tech’s name, I’ll say something to their manager.
23 years ago (yikes!) when I was in paramedic school, the hospital I did my clinicals at had a big fall prevention program going on. I’ve been very sensitive to it ever since, especially the time several years ago when a rehab let my mother fall.
The conversation with the VP of Nursing when I found out about it was very, very, interesting. For me. For her it wasn’t a very pleasant experience at all.
Falls hurt a lot of patients in hospitals each year. In EMS we’re pretty paranoid about it and I’ve seen more than one EMT or medic hurt themselves preventing a patient from falling.
It’s kind of scary that all these years later hospitals still have to remind their employees about this.
I very much appreciate your patient care concerns. My parents are both in their late 80s. I take efforts to reduce their chances of falling VERY seriously. I have also made certain (once, by “finking” on my mother to her fav doctor) that they get any falls thoroughly checked out. And I am glad you plan to forward your appreciation of the professionalism the transport tech demonstrated. Such behavior really does deserve reward.