What Should You Do When a Patient Falls?

Falls are a common problem in healthcare settings, and can cause serious injury to patients. It is essential that healthcare workers understand how to respond when a patient falls and how to prevent future falls. This article covers what to do when a patient falls and how to help them stop the fall from happening.

Assess the Situation

Assess the Situation

When a patient falls, the first step is to assess the situation. This includes ensuring the patient is safe and looking for any signs of injury. It is important to ask the patient how they are feeling and if they are in pain. It is also important to check if they hit their head or any other area of the body during the fall.

Provide Assistance

Provide Assistance

Once the situation has been assessed, it is important to provide the patient with assistance. This includes helping them to stand up and providing support while they move to a safe place. It is also important to provide comfort and reassurance to the patient.

Evaluate the Risk Factors

Evaluate the Risk Factors

It is also important to evaluate any risk factors that may have contributed to the fall. This includes checking if the patient was using any assistive devices, such as a cane or walker, and if the environment was appropriate for the patient. It is also important to check if the patient had any medical conditions, such as low blood pressure, that could have contributed to the fall.

Implement Fall Prevention Strategies

Implement Fall Prevention Strategies

Once the risk factors have been identified, it is important to implement fall prevention strategies. This includes ensuring that the patient is using appropriate assistive devices and that the environment is safe. It is also important to monitor the patient’s condition, such as their blood pressure, to help reduce the risk of future falls.



Falls are a common problem in healthcare settings, and can cause serious injury to patients. It is essential that healthcare workers understand how to respond when a patient falls and how to help them stop the fall from happening. Assessing the situation, providing assistance, evaluating the risk factors, and implementing fall prevention strategies are all important steps to take when a patient falls.