Sticky socks help cut patient falls in hospitals

Putting non-slip socks on the feet of unsteady patients has helped to cut serious falls by more than half at the Counties Manukau District Health Board.

The socks, which are like those commercially available, have numerous tiny pieces of a slightly sticky material attached to them and help to protect patients walking on the smooth lino floors of hospitals.

Nationally, falls are the leading cause of serious, preventable adverse events in New Zealand hospitals. In 2009-10, 127 serious falls were recorded.

A "serious" fall is one which fractures a bone, causes death, a serious head injury or lacerations requiring sutures. Fractures are the most common injury. In the elderly, a fall injury such as a broken hip can often trigger general health decline.

The DHB said that although its number of recorded falls had increased - because of better recording and coding - the number of serious ones had fallen to a median of two a month, under its Zero Patient Harm policy.

Non-slip socks are not new in healthcare, but the DHB is said to be a leader in the way it prescribes their use for patients who are at moderate or greater risk of falling.

The aim is to assess all patients for risk of falling for any reason - including having a hip replacement or feeling faint on standing because of low blood pressure - and reduce identified risks by tailored measures such as the socks, or perhaps a lowered bed for a confused patient.