Home Health Aide Practice Exam

If a client starts to fall, what is the best action an HHA can take?

1. Let the client fall to avoid injury

2. Widen her stance and bring the client's body close

3. Catch the client mid-air

4. Call for assistance immediately

The correct answer is: Widen her stance and bring the client's body close

When a client starts to fall, the best action for a Home Health Aide is to widen their stance and bring the client's body close. This technique helps to create a stable base of support for the aide while minimizing the distance the client falls. By widening the stance, the aide lowers their center of gravity, enhancing balance and stability. Bringing the client's body close allows the aide to better control the fall, reducing the risk of injury to both the client and themselves. This approach emphasizes prevention and safety, allowing for a more effective response to the situation. Choosing to let the client fall could lead to significant injury, both physically and emotionally, as trust may be compromised. Attempting to catch the client mid-air is highly dangerous and not practical, as it can result in injury to the aide and may not safely prevent the client's fall. Calling for assistance immediately is beneficial, but it does not address the immediate need for stability and support in the moment the fall is occurring. Therefore, the active approach of widening the stance and bringing the client close provides the most effective means of handling a falling situation.