Falls due to hospitalization

[Marquetta]

Conditions in a hospital can increase the risk of falling, particularly for older people. After being in bed a long time (bed rest), leg muscles can become weak and less able to squeeze the leg veins and thus force blood toward the heart. Thus, blood pools in the legs when people stand up, causing blood pressure to drop and making people feel dizzy or light-headed (a disorder called orthostatic hypotension).
Also, people may be given drugs that make them feel dizzy, drowsy, or confused. A bed may be too high or have rails, making getting out of bed more difficult. Lighting may be dim, so people may not see obstacles. People who are confused or disoriented are more likely to fall.
Because being in the hospital disrupts usual routines, parents who are staying in the hospital to care for a sick infant or small child may forget their usual precautions, such as keeping the crib rails up when the infant is in bed.
(See also Problems Due to Hospitalization.)