Individualized interventions to prevent bed-related falls and reduce siderail use.

Abstract

Five categories of problems that often result in siderail use: memory disorder, impaired mobility, injury risk, nocturia/incontinence, and sleep disturbance. As nursing homes work toward meeting the Health Care Financing Administration's mandate to examine siderail use, administrators and staff need to implement interventions that support safety and individualize care for residents. While no one intervention represents a singular solution to siderail use, a range of interventions, tailored to individual needs, exist. This article describes the process of selecting individualized interventions to reduce bed-related falls.