Falls risk assessment for an older client after a near miss
IENCAP OSCE practice station
Risk assessment · 2 min to read · 13 min to perform
Check what you need to examine, decide what to put in place now, and explain your plan to her.
Helen ChartrandI am perfectly fine. I just lost my footing a bit, that is all.
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Open the full station (charts, voice, result letter) →The task
You are the nurse on a medical unit in Ontario. Helen Chartrand, aged 82, is on day 3 of an admission for heart failure. Overnight she nearly fell when she went to the washroom alone. A personal support worker is available. Introduce yourself, confirm her identity and assess her risk of falling. Check what you need to examine, decide what to put in place now, and explain your plan to her. Record your assessment and plan on the form provided.
What this station tests
- Ask about the near miss without blame; older clients often hide falls.
- Review medicines that cause urgency, drowsiness or low blood pressure.
- Measure lying and standing blood pressure and observe how the client walks.
- Put immediate safety measures in place and plan toileting instead of relying on the call bell.
- Link a falls plan to the client's goal of staying independent.
Sources for the clinical content
- RNAO Best Practice Guideline: Preventing Falls and Reducing Injury from Falls
- College of Nurses of Ontario: Documentation practice standard
An original practice scenario with invented patients. Not an exam question.