Fall History is the Only Morse Fall Scale Item That Differentiates Nursing Home Residents Who Fall From Those Who do...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Research
• Patient Safety

Background:

• The Morse Fall Scale is a common tool for assessing fall risk in healthcare settings.
• Evidence is limited regarding its effectiveness in differentiating high-risk individuals within nursing home environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if the Morse Fall Scale score or its individual items differentiate between nursing home residents who fall and those who do not.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study utilizing electronic health record data.
• Included residents admitted between June 2022 and May 2024 with a complete fall risk assessment.
• Analyzed differences using t tests and chi-squared tests.

Main Results:

• Of 650 residents, 19% experienced a fall.
• Residents who fell had a higher proportion reporting a history of falls.
• No significant differences were found in age, BMI, gender, marital status, race, total Morse Fall Scale score, or specific items like mental status or gait.

Conclusions:

• A history of falls is the only Morse Fall Scale component that effectively differentiates fallers from non-fallers in this nursing home sample.
• Most Morse Fall Scale items showed limited variation, suggesting they may not be sensitive enough for this specific population.