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Updated: Jul 12, 2026
Design and Analysis for Fall Detection System Simplification
Published on: April 6, 2020
An electronic medical record-based fall risk assessment tool for pediatric inpatients in South Korea: Improved
Eun Joo Kim1, Ji Young Lim2, Geun Myun Kim1
1Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Wonju, Korea.
Insights
A new pediatric fall risk assessment tool, the Newfs-PI, was developed to predict inpatient falls. This tool demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity, offering a valuable addition to existing fall prevention strategies for children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Healthcare
- Patient Safety
- Clinical Assessment Tools
Background:
- Falls in pediatric inpatients pose a significant safety risk.
- Existing fall risk assessment tools may require enhancement for optimal prediction.
- Accurate identification of at-risk children is crucial for effective fall prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel fall risk assessment tool for pediatric inpatients.
- To identify key factors contributing to falls in hospitalized children.
- To create a tool that complements existing fall risk assessment methods.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study design was employed.
- Assessment items were extracted from three established clinical tools.
- The newly developed Newfs-PI was evaluated for sensitivity and specificity against a control group.
Main Results:
- The Newfs-PI comprises seven items including age, activity, fall history, hospital stay duration, and medication.
- The tool's sensitivity was 62.07% and specificity was 74.19%.
- The Newfs-PI score ranges from 0 to 15.
Conclusions:
- The Newfs-PI demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity, meeting essential criteria for a fall risk assessment tool.
- This tool offers a valuable complement to existing assessment methods for pediatric inpatients.
- Integration with Electronic Medical Records (EMR) facilitates the use of Newfs-PI for ongoing fall risk monitoring and prevention.
Purpose:
To develop a fall risk assessment tool to predict fall risk in pediatric inpatients.
Methods:
Three tools widely used in clinical practice (Humpty Dumpty Fall Scale, General Risk Assessment for Pediatric Inpatient Falls, and Seoul National University Hospital Pediatric Fall Risk Scale) were examined, and assessment items were extracted. Employing a case-control design, 29 children who experienced falls during hospital stays were selected as the "fall" group, and a control group (93 children) was selected based on age and sex matching. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the newly developed tool (Newfs-PI) were analyzed.
Results:
The Newfs-PI consisted of seven items: age, activity, history of falls, length of hospital stay, and medication. The total score ranged from 0 to 15. Its sensitivity and specificity were 62.07% and 74.19%, respectively.
Conclusion:
The Newfs-PI has high specificity and sensitivity, which are essential for a fall risk assessment tool that complements existing tools. These values are high relative to those of existing assessment tools and satisfy both sensitivity and specificity criteria. As the EMR enables monitoring of the components of the Newfs-PI, the tool can be used as a fall risk assessment and prevention scale for pediatric inpatients.
