While working as a nurse in Florida, you might notice that there are times when it’s difficult to get your footing in certain situations. Since slips and falls are common incidents that occur in the healthcare setting that could result in an injury, it’s important to know a few ways that they can be prevented.
The proper shoes
Part of your attire as a nurse to help prevent slip-and-fall accidents should be slip-resistant shoes. They should have a sturdy foundation with the proper tread that almost clings to the floor so that they don’t slide around. Make sure your shoes are securely on your feet so that they don’t move around while you’re working as this could result in losing your balance or tripping.
Barriers
If there’s an area in your workplace that’s wet or that could be dangerous, then consider putting a barrier in front of that area so that nurses and other workers don’t go there. Once repairs are made or cleaning is performed, then the barrier can be removed. When the area can’t fully be blocked off, you can use signs to indicate that the floor is wet or that there could be a dangerous situation that could result in slipping and falling as long as the signs are large enough to be seen.
Communicate
Sometimes, other nurses might not know if there’s a spill somewhere or if there is cleaning taking place in an area of the building. Set up a communication system so that each department is aware of the potential for accidents to occur if they visit that area. The team can also talk about when the best time would be for cleaning if there are certain times that aren’t as busy as others in order to decrease the risk of accidents.
As a healthcare worker, you need to be as prepared as possible to stay on your feet while working without falling down. If danger is present, then alerting others who are in the building can decrease the risk.