Minnesota Hospital Association Behavioral Health Toolkit
Falls are a serious issue in healthcare facilities, and this is especially true in behavioral health settings. Patients who are experiencing mental health crises or who are struggling with addiction may be at a higher risk for falls due to a variety of factors,...
Safe Toileting
As we age, certain daily activities can become increasingly difficult, and one of the most significant concerns for individuals who are aging, have disabilities, or face mobility challenges is safe toileting. The bathroom can be a hazardous place for anyone, but it...
The CAPTURE Falls Project
The CAPTURE Falls Project is a little-known initiative of the University of Nebraska Medical Center that aims to reduce inpatient falls through a culture of safety and proactive teamwork. This interprofessional initiative was started in 2012 and established an...
The Role of Hospital Staff in Fall Prevention
Falls in hospitals are a serious issue, and the responsibility of preventing falls falls largely on hospital staff. It is essential for staff to understand the potential risk factors and have strategies in place to help reduce the likelihood of a fall occurring. One...
The Use of Technology to Reduce Falls in Hospitals
Falls in hospitals are a serious issue that can lead to injuries, longer hospital stays, and even legal liabilities. That's why healthcare providers are always looking for new ways to prevent falls and keep patients safe. In recent years, technology has emerged as a...
Tools to Help Prevent Falls in the Emergency Department
Approximately 3.7 million Americans reach the age of 65 every year, and older adults are more prone to falling than younger adults, with the risk being twice as high for those aged 65 years and older (OR 2.84 [1.77-4.53]) according to Factora et al. (2021)....
Improving Hospital Design for Fall Prevention
Hospitals are often viewed as places of healing, but they can also be a place where patients are at an increased risk of falls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths and non-fatal...
Fall Prevention in High-Risk Populations
Falls in hospitals are a significant issue that can lead to severe injuries, longer hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs. This problem is especially pronounced in high-risk patient populations, such as elderly patients, patients with dementia, and patients...
Areas That can be Monitored for Fall Management
Falls can be a serious risk for patients in a hospital or long-term care facility, and with patients spending much of their time unattended in their rooms, the chances of a fall are even higher. Thankfully, there are many products available that can help warn staff of...
2022 World Health Organization Patient Safety Day
Theme: Medication Safety Colleagues, while we were celebrating National Fall Prevention Awareness Week, Sept. 18-24, the World Health Organization (WHO) had just launched its 4th Annual Global Patient Safety Day on September 17th, addressing Medication Safety. Their...
AHRQ Features Fall TIPS
A Patient-Centered Fall Prevention Toolkit The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is the lead federal agency, working within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that is charged with improving the quality and safety of America’s...
Introducing: CAPTURE Falls Project
Little known is one of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s (UNMC) patient safety project: CAPTURE = Collaboration and Proactive Teamwork Used to Reduce (CAPTURE) Falls Project. I have known about this program since it started 10 years ago. I found and searched...
New Resource: External Urinary Management for Women
Over that last couple of years, I have written to you about many fall risk factors and interventions to help reduce your patients’ and residents’ risk of falls, and I have shared resources for your easy access. One fall risk factor that is important, and often not...
New Resources: AHRQ’s Quality and Patient Safety
Programs by Setting: Long-Term Care Hi Everyone! Welcome to May, as we prepare to celebrate Nurses Week, May 6th – 12th. I give thanks every day to be a nurse — a rehabilitation nurse. I have enjoyed a thirst for knowledge, a quest to contribute to nursing’s body of...
A New Resource from The World Health Organization: Step Safely
A New Resource from The World Health Organization:Step Safely I recently searched for resources and guidance to prevent falls on stairs, specific to the safety of older adults. Knowing that older adults are more likely — three times more likely — to experience...
The Use of Bed Safety Rails
A Brochure Resource for You Dear Colleagues, I am always delighted to receive questions about fall prevention practices, resources, and even opinions. My commitment has been and will always be to help you as much as I can. Of interest, every couple of months, I...
Build Your Fall and Fall Injury Prevention Program Capacity: Program Assessment
Dear Colleagues, All organizations commit to create and implement valid, reliable and quality clinical care programs that assure safe patient care that protects while improving outcomes: function, health, and well-being. Among all the clinical programs implemented in...
Let’s Campaign for September’s National Fall Awareness Week
Introducing CDC’s Still Going Strong Program and More! Colleagues, we commit to fall prevention of at-risk and vulnerable populations across all settings of care. Through our practice, we are dedicated to promoting function and independence, minimizing complications...
Let’s Expand Your Access to a Behavioral Health Toolkit for Fall Prevention
Minnesota Hospital Association ResourcesSafe from Falls RoadmapsSpecial Focus: Behavioral Health Units Over the last year, the unexpected and unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has generated our resiliency and resolve to strengthen prevention, protection...
The Same Chair Does Not Work For All Patients
Dear Colleagues, I welcome lots of questions from a variety of individuals seeking suggestions for fall and fall injury prevention interventions. Sometimes the messages are to run an idea by me to seek my opinion, like this request from a hospital trying to solve the...
Protect Your Patients From Injury
Floor Mats Do Reduce Impact Severity: They Work! Colleagues, Protecting patients from injury when they falls requires different interventions than preventing them from a fall. The main intervention to reduce impact when patients fall from be is the Floor Mat...
A First Glimpse of Independence
For patients who have suffered a complete spinal cord injury, like Wesley Tweet, their first glimpse of independence often occurs once they arrive to a specialized rehabilitation facility like Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals in Nebraska. A quadriplegic, Wesley was...
Navigating Life With Limited Mobility
After suffering a complete spinal cord injury, Donna Cadwallader of St. Joseph, Missouri, is learning to navigate life with limited mobility. While rehabilitating at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals in Lincoln, Nebraska, Donna was exposed to the AC 20 Assistive...
Bed Height Must Be Individualized
Low Bed Height is NOT a Universal Fall Precaution Colleagues, I hope that my inaugural resource message last month to re-evaluate your bathroom grab bar placement was helpful to you. I also hope that you shared the research and evidence to your Falls Committee...
Creating a Safe Environment for Toileting
Proper Grab Bar Placement in Bathrooms Reduces Falls Colleagues, I am delighted to launch this first informational message to you on behalf of Curbell Medical, Inc., designed to provide you with fall and fall injury prevention resources. The resources that I am...
Mattress Issues: Cleaning Mattresses Without Premature Chemical Damage
Mattress disinfection is an important part of any hospital’s infection control program. But the harsh chemicals that are used can damage the mattress over time. Follow these tips to get the most out of your stretcher mattresses. 1. FOLLOW THE...
The Importance of Replacing Your Mattresses
Your mattresses get a lot of use and abuse — especially stretcher mattresses that are moved from department to department many times each day. As mattresses get worn out, there may be holes and tears in the fabric that allow blood or other bodily fluids to enter the...
Mattress Issues: Choosing the Right Mattress
Stretcher mattresses can be made out of many different materials, each with different capabilities and price points. Here are four types of mattress cover materials and the positives and negatives for each to help you in deciding which one is right for...
A Bright Idea to Increase Patient Satisfaction: Dimmable Lights
“Patients reported that brighter lighting during daylight hours felt pleasant and healthy, and lower light levels at night (dimmer, but not dark) replaced anxiety with calm and engendered a feeling of security.” * Numerous studies like the one quoted here have shown...
Curbell Celebrates 75th Anniversary
Orchard Park‐Based Curbell, Inc. Celebrates 75 Years of Growth and Evolution in 2017 What started as a macaroni producer and a small machine shop located in the heart of Buffalo’s industrial district in 1942 has become one of the nation’s leading suppliers of plastic...
Working with UB’s Engineering Department
Curbell is committed to giving back to the communities that we serve. One way we do so is by partnering with students at local colleges and universities on a variety of business initiatives. These initiatives support our business goals while providing students with...
Curbell receives an award for “General Excellence”
Curbell Medical received an award for "General Excellence" in manufacturing for 2016 by Business First. See Article.