Fall Prevention in Postpartum Patients

Fall prevention is a national patient safety goal of The Joint Commission and is considered a standard of practice in most institutions.

The obstetric population is considered a healthy group of patients. Should a fall prevention program be implemented on an OB unit for every laboring and postpartum patient?

• Describe two factors that place the obstetric patient at risk for falls? Explain why the identified factors increase the obstetric patients risk for injury?
• Describe how the implementation of a fall prevention program on the OB unit would help to improve patient outcomes.
• Describe the role of the RN in the implementation of a fall prevention program on an obstetric unit?