Quality assurance of falls reduction in an orthopaedic ward using a novel bedside trolley table set-up strategy

To assess whether a novel bedside trolley table set-up decreased inpatient falls (IF) postintervention.

From December 2012 to December 2014, geriatric patients admitted to our orthopaedic ward with extreme falls risk had a bedside trolley placed between them and a floor sensor mat to give responders more time to prevent IF. Pre- and postintervention falls data was reviewed for falls reduction using falls per month as comparison standard. IF were classified as high or low/medium risk using St Thomas's Risk Assessment Tool In Falling Elderly inpatients (STRATIFY) scoring.

Sixty-two of 134 falls fulfilled inclusion criteria. The high-risk group had 33 patients preintervention and 22 patients postintervention, with falls per month at 3.4 preintervention and 1 postintervention. IF reduction was 71% in STRATIFY ≥17 versus 44% in STRATIFY <17.

The novel set-up with appropriate assessment may decrease falls in the high-risk ortho-geriatric population. Further trials are warranted to confirm its effectiveness.