A patient monitoring system to help manage a patient that is at risk of falling is disclosed. The system includes a patient-worn wireless sensor that can be affixed to the patient's back that senses the patient's motion and wirelessly transmits information indicative of the sensed motion to a patient monitor. The patient monitor receives, stores, and processes the transmitted information to determine whether the patient has fallen or is about to fall. Upon such detection, the system can notify the patient's caretakers that the patient has fallen or is about to fall and therefore, is in need of immediate attention.