3. A patient who is or may be for any reason to
protect and take care of him or herself against
significant harm or exploitation
4. VULNERABLE PATIENTS:
Infants
Children
Disabled individuals
Elderly and frail
Child abuse/Neglect
Domestic violence
Sexual assault/Abuse
Comatose patients
5. Patients on mechanical ventilation
Elderly abuse (Dehydration, fearful at contact,
bedsores
Substance abuse
Elderly- 70 years of age/older
Mental retardation
Patient in crisis.
6. VULNERABLE PATIENTS ARE PRONE TO FACE FOLLOWING
PROBLEMS DURING THEIR STAY IN HOSPITAL:
Fall from bed or in washroom or while transporting
from one place to another.
Harms due to medical errors such as wrong
medication, wrong diet etc.
Infringement of their rights, such as privacy,
informed consent, confidentiality, respect etc.
Acquiring of healthcare associated infections.
7. HOW TO TAKE APPROPRIATE CARE OF
VULNERABLE PATIENTS:
The first step is to identify the vulnerable:
Patient who may require special attention. The list
of conditions under which a patient should be
considered ‘Vulnerable’ (as the one given above)
can be used for quick identification of such patients
and” Safety First “ sticker at the head end side.
8. CAPS risk assessment Tool –
all vulnerable patients face the risk of fall. Hence,
as a prevention measure, all patients identified as
vulnerable must be assessed for risk of fall.
CAPS tool assessment is done on admission and at
every shift if the initial score is 45 or more and once
every third day if the initial score is less than 45.
The purpose of repeated scoring is to take any
additional measures for patient safety.
9. SAFETY OF VULNERABLE PATIENT – AS VULNERABLE PATIENTS NEED
MORE SAFETY MEASURES, FOLLOWING SAFETY PRACTICES ARE
FOLLOWED:
Side rails up.
Patient beds are on brake mode.
Provide adequate lightning.
Place call bell devices within reach.
Instruct patient and family members to call for help
before getting out of bed.
Develop a schedule for turning and positioning
Increase frequency of patient rounds.
10.
11. Instruct the patient on side effects of drugs that are
being administered.
Instruct housekeeping staff to keep path way clear
from obstacles and keep toilet floor dry at all times.
Teach patient to use grab bars in the rest room.
Instruct the patient and family about the
significance of fall prevention program and get fall
risk consent form.
