Is it possible to identify risks for injurious falls in hospitalized patients?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patient falls are among the most commonly reported adverse hospital events with more than one million occurring annually in the United States; approximately 10% result in serious injury. A retrospective study was conducted to determine predictors and outcomes of fall injuries among a cohort of adult hospitalized patients.

Methods

Data were obtained regarding patients who sustained an initial fall in hospital during a 26-month period from 16 adult general medical and surgical units in an urban university-affiliated community hospital. Data on intrinsic (individual) factors, extrinsic (environmental) factors, and situational activities were collected via nurse and patient interviews, patient examinations, and audits of incident reports and electronic health records.

SUBMITTER: Mion LC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3547233 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature