What should you do if a resident starts to fall while you are using a transfer/gait belt?

Do not try to prevent the fall. Instead, use the transfer/gait belt to support the person and ease them to the floor, controlling the direction of the fall and protecting their head. Then stay with the person and call a nurse to check for injuries.

If a resident starts to fall while you are using a transfer/gait belt, the correct response is not to try to prevent the fall, because twisting or straining to stop it could injure both you and the resident. Instead, ease the person to the floor in a controlled way. According to the procedure for helping a falling person, stand behind the person with your feet apart and your back straight, bring the person close to your body using the belt, and move your leg so the person's buttocks rest on it. Then lower the person to the floor, letting them slide down your leg while you bend at your hips and knees. This helps you control the fall and protect the person's head. After the resident is on the floor, do not let them move or get up before the nurse checks for injuries. Stay with the person, calmly explain that the nurse will check for injuries, and call for the nurse.