COURSE OVERVIEW:

Assessing, managing and preventing injuries in aged care settings is a crucial aspect of ensuring the well-being of elderly residents. This course, Assess & Manage Injury Risks in Aged Care is designed to equip professionals working in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) with the knowledge and skills to reduce injury risks. Injury prevention is essential not only for maintaining residents' physical health but also for enhancing their overall quality of life.

Residents in aged care facilities are often vulnerable to various injuries, such as falls, musculoskeletal issues, pressure injuries, and more. A deep understanding of the risk factors and mechanisms of injury is necessary to effectively implement preventative measures. Care staff and physiotherapists play an important role in identifying these risks and taking appropriate action to mitigate them. This course will guide participants in recognising both intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to injuries, focusing on evidence-based approaches for fall prevention, mobility management, and the safe care of residents.

One of the major problems in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) is the potential for the resident to sustain injury. Whilst in most instances injury is preventable, familiarity with factors that predispose a resident to injury or increase the likelihood of accidents is paramount for carers. This knowledge will enable preventive action that will enhance quality of life to be implemented.

Every resident is at risk of injury at some stage during his or her stay in the RACF. For those residents who have retained some mobility a fall is highly likely to occur. The mobile resident is at additional risk from injuries such as bumps, shear stress, pressure, maceration and thermal mechanisms which are the common causes of injury seen with immobile residents. Increased morbidity and mortality are the consequence of any of these injuries.

All residents are at risk of injury and need to be assessed and treated to reduce the likelihood of this occurrence. Injury leads to decreased mobility and movement that may accelerate morbidity and mortality.

Physiotherapists have a major responsibility to ensure residents are protected from injury but are still able to function at their maximum level of ability. There also is a responsibility to care staff to protect them from injury and to enable confident participation in care procedures that facilitate maximum participation by the resident. In this way residents and carers maintain enthusiasm and quality of life.

Through this course, participants will learn about key mechanisms such as falls, bumps, shear stress, and other injury risks that commonly occur in elderly residents. It will also address the challenges of maintaining mobility while preventing injuries, especially in residents with complex health conditions such as arthritis, cognitive impairment, or neurological disorders.

By the end of this course, you will have gained a solid understanding of how to assess and manage injury risks, ensuring a safer environment for residents. This course will cover the identification and management of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that lead to injuries, techniques for maintaining residents’ mobility while minimising injury risk, and the importance of a holistic, team-based approach to injury prevention in aged care settings.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

·       The mechanisms of injury to residents

·       Injury mechanism and consequence

·       The factors associated with increased risk of a fall

·       The relationship between musculoskeletal problems and falls

·       The intrinsic factors associated with increased risk of a fall

·       The relationship between the decline in the special senses and falls

·       The relationship between neurological disease and falls   

·       The relationship between cognitive impairment and falls

·       The relationship between cardiovascular disorders and falls

·       The relationship between medications and falls        

·       The relationship between nutritional and endocrine disorders and falls

·       The relationship between ulcers and chronic wounds

·       Ulcers of vascular origin in people residing in aged care facilities

·       Arterial ulceration in people residing in aged care facilities

·       Injury prevention and risk identification   

·       The key points relating to occlusive arterial disease (OAD)

·       Venous ulcers in people residing in aged care facilities

·       Neuropathic ulcers people residing in aged care facilities

·       Pressure or decubitus ulcers and pressure areas

·       The pressure ulcer severity scale

·       The risk assessment for pressure ulcer formation     

·       The preventive measures for pressure ulcers  

·       The management of pressure ulcers

·       The causes or indicators of incipient pressure ulcer development and recommended preventive interventions

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.