Hospitals and other care facilities must continue to seek ways to reduce the occurrence of inpatient falls related to toileting. The need for protocol improvement is underscored by available fall data, such as the study results1 shared in the graphic below.
Falls related to toileting can occur when the patient is on their way to or from the bathroom, or in the bathroom itself. Scenarios in which fall risk patients attempt to exit a toilet seat without the knowledge of the nursing staff are especially challenging.
Wireless toilet seat sensors offer hospitals and other care facilities a new way to enhance their existing toileting protocols and can help address the issue of unexpected toilet seat exits by fall risk patients.
There are many reasons why fall risk patients attempt unassisted toileting and unexpected toilet seat exits. For example, they might underestimate their risk of falling, forget to ask for help (whether or not due to medications), or feel too great a sense of urgency to wait for help. Alternatively, fall risk patients might be reluctant to ask for help because they’re embarrassed, don’t want to “bother” the nurse, or desire to maintain a greater degree of independence.
However, unassisted toileting and unexpected toilet seat exits can lead to falls whose consequences may include physical injuries to the fall risk patient, negative effects on the patient’s emotional well-being, an increased workload for the patient’s caregivers, and various financial costs.
Fall prevention programs include an array of measures designed to support safe patient toileting.
Toileting schedules are intended to suit the needs and preferences of fall risk patients. Factors like mobility, balance, dexterity, strength, cognitive function, and emotional health should be carefully assessed and considered when tailoring an individualized toileting plan. Regular nurse rounding is an important practice that helps build trust and reinforces patient compliance with toileting protocols.
When it comes to existing protocols there is always room for improvement. For instance, unanticipated urgent events may briefly disrupt established monitoring routines, or gaps in monitoring may emerge during night shifts. Of course, patient noncompliance (i.e., failure to seek assistance for toileting) can prove highly problematic. Wireless toilet seat sensors can help shore up existing toileting protocols.
What is a wireless toilet seat sensor? Wireless toilet seat sensors are medical devices based on wireless technology that are designed to help nurses monitor fall risk patients who may attempt an unassisted toilet seat exit. Note that wireless toilet seat sensors are intended for use as an added safety measure in the bathroom.
The Posey® Wireless Toilet Sensor, for example, is a pressure-sensitive device engineered to trigger an alarm when a patient’s weight is removed from the toilet seat under which the sensor has been placed and activated. The Posey Wireless Toilet Sensor is compatible with the Posey On Cue® PRO Alarm, which is a wireless falls monitoring alarm (wireless falls prevention alarm) whose technology platform supports all Posey-brand wired and wireless exit sensors.
Intuitive Tap-2-Pair® technology allows nurses to pair the wireless toilet seat sensor quickly and easily with an On Cue PRO Alarm, which in turn can be paired with a Posey Wireless Nurse Call Adapter. No cords, cables, transmitters, or keys are required for this wireless monitoring solution.
Intended for single-patient use for up to 30 days, the Posey Wireless Toilet Sensor is easy to position on the front of the toilet bowl and comes with a set of simple-to-follow instructions. The wireless On Cue PRO Alarm with which the sensor is paired can be placed outside the bathroom door for convenience.
Wireless toilet seat sensors have the potential to strengthen existing organizational protocols by enhancing patient safety, improving staff efficiency, and supporting the emotional well-being of patients.
These wireless falls monitoring sensors (wireless falls prevention sensors) immediately alert nurses of unexpected/unassisted toilet seat exits, giving them an opportunity to intervene and prevent patient falls and injuries.
The simplicity, flexibility, and ease-of-use of this technology accommodates nursing workflow. While not a substitute for established protocols such as toileting schedules and regular rounding, wireless toilet seat sensors can give nurses added peace of mind between manual checks of fall risk patients.
Properly used during assisted toileting, wireless toilet seat sensors can help nurses respect each patient’s right to dignity and privacy.
Thinking about supplementing your toileting safety protocols with wireless falls prevention sensors and wireless falls prevention alarms? We encourage you to contact us to learn more!