Nursing Challenges and Difficulties in Elderly Inpatient Care

Abstract

Avoiding falls and managing choking in hospitalized elderly inpatients requires a comprehensive and intriguing approach. Nursing professionals get together with other healthcare teams to implement evidence-based procedures, which include risk factors, patient education, and environmental changes. These interventions aim to decrease fall risk factors, improve patient safety, and minimize the probability of choking incidents. Through performing examinations, delivering patient education, and customizing the care environment, nurses play an essential role. Caregivers continuously keep a hawk eye on maintaining and monitoring their risk factors, such as noticing swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) to prevent choking during mealtime, as well as setting up customized fall prevention methods like using bed alarms and making sure that slippers and footwear are not slippery to avoid accidental slip-related risks. Where nurses observe the difficulties of swallowing, either the food supplies are according to the recommendation of the dietician to prevent choking or they are making sure the bed is in a low position with side rails on to reduce the risk of falling, improving patient safety and the quality of care for elderly inpatients. Along with proactive engagement and clear communication, nursing professionals help ensure the safety and well-being of elderly patients in inpatient care settings. To further enhance patient safety and quality of care for elderly inpatients with cognitive impairments, this chapter discusses the important procedures nurses use in collaboration with multi-professional teams including risk assessments, patient education, and environmental modifications. These practices help nurses to prevent falls as well as control choking incidents in elderly inpatients with cognitive disorders.