The prevention of falls in a geriatric hospital

All falls which occurred in a geriatric hospital in period of one year were carefully recorded by nursing staff. Falls occurred most often in admission wards, less in rehabilitation wards and even less in long-stay wards. The incidence of falls was very much lower when patients were confined to bed as a result of industrial action by staff. Very few falls resulted in bone injury. The completion of accident reports by nurses after non-injurious falls is unproductive.