subdural haemorrhage due to or as a consequence of a fall
AI-generated summary
Ms SME, an 86-year-old resident at a Blue Care nursing home, suffered a fatal subdural haemorrhage following a fall from bed during a sponge bath on 18 January 2016. She died on 21 January 2016. Clinical lessons include: (1) The critical importance of adhering to manual handling protocols, particularly the use of slide sheets for all bed mobility in residents with documented high falls risk and specific movement care plans; (2) Staff failed to use slide sheets despite clear CP22 documentation requiring them; (3) Incomplete positioning of the resident before rolling may have contributed to the fall; (4) The bed mattress setup (king single air mattress on bariatric bed) was noted as potentially problematic by the family; (5) The facility's post-incident quality improvement initiatives (Three Second Campaign, enhanced safety observations, CP22 training) address the root cause of staff not following trained procedures despite competency. Early recognition of the subdural haemorrhage on CT and conservative management given age/comorbidities were appropriate.
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Specialties
geriatric medicineemergency medicineneurosurgerypalliative care
failure to use slide sheet despite documented requirement in care plan
incomplete repositioning of resident in bed before rolling
staff behavioural choice not to follow manual handling procedure
potential mattress setup issues (air mattress on bariatric bed creating misfit)
vascular dementia with brain atrophy predisposing to more severe intracranial injury from minor trauma
high falls risk not adequately managed during personal care
Coroner's recommendations
All staff to undergo manual handling training and appropriate use of slide sheets, focusing on use with rolls, position of residents in bed, angle and height of bed
Safety observations to be carried out throughout shifts by registered staff to ensure slide sheets are used appropriately when rolling residents, with focus on technique
Training with all staff regarding CP22 and mobility care plans including accessibility and accurate reading and interpretation of care plans
Training to be provided to all staff in use of call bell with focus on emergency call bell and response expectations
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