Deck 12: Falls in Older Adults

Question 1

Older adults have a higher rate of falls in any setting, but are at a higher risk of falling in hospital settings.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The incidence of hip fractures is greater in older women, but mortality from hip fractures if higher among older men.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Falls among older adults are a normal consequence of aging and are most often due to multiple predisposing factors.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

What organization has described falls as a "major public health challenge that calls for global attention"?

A) National Institutes of Health
B) American Medical Association
C) World Health Organization
D) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Question 5

Which of the following would be classified as a nonmodifiable risk factor for falling?

A) Gait
B) Balance
C) Age over 80
D) Muscle weakness

Question 6

For every one-point decrease on the Mini-Mental State Exam, by what percentage is the risk of falling increased?

A) 10%
B) 20%
C) 30%
D) 40%

Question 7

What medical professional is often a member of the interdisciplinary team in hospitals and can review medications and make recommendation to the fall team regarding changing, reducing, or discontinuing high-risk medications?

A) Nurse
B) Social worker
C) Pharmacist
D) Psychiatrist

Question 8

For patients who are able to rise from a seated position, what risk assessment tool may be used to evaluate strength, gait and balance, physical function, and fall risk?

A) Hendrich Fall Risk Model II
B) STRATIFY Risk Instrument
C) Timed Get Up and Go Test
D) Morse Fall Scale

Question 9

What type of medications are an independent risk factor for older adult falls, meaning that the patient need have no other problems?

A) Beta-blockers
B) Diuretics
C) Opiates
D) Benzodiazepines

Question 10

The American Geriatrics Society has recommended dietary supplementation with what vitamin for reduction of osteoporosis and thus fractures if falls occur in older adults?

A) Vitamin B₁₂
B) Vitamin C
C) Vitamin D
D) Vitamin E

Question 11

A minimum 6 months of treatment with calcium and vitamin D supplementation is recommended to maintain healthy bones and assist in prevention or slowing of osteoporosis.

Question 12

Surveillance interventions include purposeful hourly rounding of mobile patients closer to the nurses' station and assignment of sitters.

Question 13

Two key prescribing principles for older adults are "less is more" and "start low and go slow," which refers to staring doses at lowest levels to reduce potential overdose of medications.

Question 14

The HELP program has been shown to reduce what medical condition by 23% and decrease length of stay by 7 days?

A) Anxiety
B) Delirium
C) Depression
D) Hypertension

Question 15

Which organization has included patient falls as one of the top 10 nurse-sensitive quality indicators?

A) Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services
B) American Nurses Association
C) The Joint Commission
D) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Question 16

Risk and benefits of side rails are outlined by the information on medical devices issue by what agency?

A) Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services
B) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
C) U.S. Food and Drug Administration
D) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Question 17

What fall risk assessment tool would be the best tool for assessing the risk of falls by hospitalized acutely ill older adults?

A) Hendrich Fall Risk Model II
B) STRATIFY Risk instrument
C) Timed Get Up and Go test
D) Medication Fall Risk tool

Question 18

What member of the interdisciplinary team would typically use the Medication Fall Risk tool to assess fall risk?

A) Nurse
B) Physician
C) Pharmacist
D) Physical therapist

Question 19

A systematic review and meta-analysis revealed what fall-risk assessment tool to be the most sensitive?

A) Hendrich Fall Risk Model II
B) STRATIFY Risk instrument
C) Timed Get Up and Go test
D) Medication Fall Risk tool