Inpatient Falls: Epidemiology, Risk Assessment, and Prevention Measures. A Narrative Review

Background Patient falls are a common inpatient dilemma and comprise the largest category of preventable adverse events in hospitalized patients. These events place a clinical burden on the patient, such as increased morbidity and reduced quality of life, in addition to an economic burden on the hospital system. Fall prevention strategies have the opportunity to decrease inpatient health care costs and length of stay. Several risk factors have been identified that contribute to inpatient falls and several strategies have been identified to minimize this risk. These risk factors are typically characterized as intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors include characteristics such as age, gender, impaired mobility, and physiological factors (eg, co-morbidities, low muscular strength, visual impairment, poor reaction time, and movement disorders). Extrinsic factors are related to characteristics in the environment, such as slippery surfaces, footwear, bad lighting, and the influence of medications. Risk assessment tools, such as the Hendrich II Fall Risk Model, Morse Fall Scale, and STRATIFY, were developed to help identify those at risk. In utilizing these models and our understanding of predisposing risk factors, prevention strategies may be utilized to mitigate these risks. These strategies are often generalized actions including patient education; however, targeted interventions (ie, patient education) also improve outcomes by interrogating specific risk factors.