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Policy Brief #24
December 2011
Evidence-based Falls Prevention in Critical Access Hospitals
Karen B. Pearson, MLIS, MA and Andrew F. Coburn, PhD
Maine Rural Health Research Center, University of Southern Maine
This study was conducted by the Flex Monitoring Team with funding from the
federal Office of Rural Health Policy (PHS Grant No. U27RH01080)
Background
Inpatient falls are a serious patient safety and quality problem. Statistics
indicate that patient falls occur in approximately 1.9 to 3% of all
acute care hospitalizations1 with anywhere from 2-15% of inpatients
experiencing at least one fall.2 An estimated 30% of inpatient falls result
in serious injury.3 According to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
(IHI), falls are a leading cause of death in people 65 years of age or older
and 10% of fatal falls for the elderly occur in hospitals.4 The majority of
falls occur in patients’ rooms and in bathrooms.5-7 Hospital environmental
conditions and medication related issues also put patients at risk for
falls.7 Falls in the elderly can contribute to a downward spiral, negatively
impacting physical and emotional health, long term function, and quality
of life. Additionally, a fall can often result in a fear of falling which may
lead to an increased risk for a future fall.8-10
Injuries from falls are costly for the patient and the hospital.1,11-12 Patients
injured in a fall incur increased hospital costs due to additional treatment
and longer lengths of stay. It is estimated that these patients sustain
upwards of 60% higher total charges than other hospitalized patients.13-15
The estimated cost to an acute care facility to treat the 30% of falls
resulting in serious injury is expected to reach $54.9 billion in 2020 [in
2007 dollars].16
Falls prevention within the context of patient safety culture
Because falls are among the significant adverse events experienced in
hospitals, falls prevention is a critical component of any patient safety
strategy. Effective communication among staff, patients, and their families
enhance information transfer, build relationships, and increase capacity
for positive patient safety culture change. Aberg, et al.8 state that “the
staff’s active participation in the fall event reporting system and in the
subsequent follow-up process constitutes an essential part of a fall
preventive safety culture”. p.1038
Key Findings
Hospital falls are a •
serious patient safety
problem, accounting
for nearly 84% of all
inpatient incidents.
Most falls commonly
occur as a result of
medication related
issues, toileting
needs, and hospital
environmental
conditions.
Effective falls •
interventions target
both intrinsic
(e.g. physiologic)
and extrinsic (e.g.
environmental) risk
factors.
Effective falls •
prevention teams
are interdisciplinary
and are imbedded in
a culture of patient
safety.
Education for and •
communication across
all staff contributes
to successful falls
prevention programs.
This brief is one in a series of policy briefs identifying and assessing evidence-based patient safety and quality
improvement interventions appropriate for use by state Flex Programs and CAHs.
www.exmonitoring.org
The Joint Commission frames falls prevention in
the context of organizational patient safety culture,
encouraging hospitals to assess the communication
issues as well as environmental modifications that
may be needed to help prevent falls.10 When all staff,
from CEOs to Certified Nursing Assistant (CNAs)
to custodians17 are attuned to the situations that
may predispose patients to fall, they will be better
prepared to make the hospital a safer place and
help prevent avoidable inpatient falls. One CAH in
Maine began posting the number of days without a
fall on the wall in the hospital lobby which served
to raise staff awareness and build teamwork in
maintaining its low fall rate. This hospital also found
that recognizing the involvement and importance of
the CNA in the prevention of falls contributes to the
positive culture of safety in their hospital.
In one rural hospital in Texas, the inpatient fall rate
was significantly reduced as the result of a culture
change,18 and a small community hospital in Canada
reduced its fall rate to 2% per 1,000 bed-days as part
of a larger change management process resulting
in a transformed patient safety culture.19 Staff at all
levels of a small rural hospital in Australia reported
that the process of their Falls Prevention Program
was a way to build teamwork and a safe practice
environment.20
Importance to CAHs and the Flex Program
The Flex Monitoring Team has identified falls
prevention as an important patient safety
intervention given the large number of rural elders
served by CAHs and the number of CAHs with
swing and long-term care beds (approximately 42%
CAHs have SNF services and nearly 90% CAHs have
swing beds).21 National surveys of CAHs conducted
by the Flex Monitoring Team in 2004 and 2007
indicated that falls prevention ranked second and
eighth respectively among CAH patient safety and
quality improvement initiatives.22-24 CAH initiatives
for prevention of patient falls included tracking
and analysis of falls; identifying and monitoring
patients at high risk of falls; education programs
for staff; use of special equipment (e.g. bed/chair
alarms, lift devices); and increased use of physical
therapy and exercise programs.23 Challenges and
obstacles to implementing and sustaining a falls
prevention program may include: other pressing
quality improvement initiatives; insufficient staff and
resources to oversee and sustain a falls prevention
program; not actively involving a pharmacist; and a
lack of alignment between a reporting mechanism
for tracking falls and programs of education and
training. One rural hospital consultant suggested
that, while an important quality issue, falls
prevention may not be formalized as a quality
improvement initiative in some small and rural
hospitals because it is built directly into their nursing
assessment. For some smaller hospitals, the fall rate
may be so close to zero that it doesn’t warrant full
scale system-level change. Small environmental
changes such as moving the patient closer to the
nurses’ station may be enough.
Falls Prevention Programs
Definitions of falls vary which can limit the
comparability and benchmarking of falls data
There is no universally accepted standard
definition for a fall. However, the most commonly
used definition for a fall comes from the Joint
Commission’s Implementation Guide for the
National Quality Forum Endorsed Nursing–Sensitive
Care Performance Measures (updated in 2009): falls
are an “unplanned descent to the floor (or extension
of the floor, e.g., trash can or other equipment) with
or without injury to the patient”.25 This includes both
assisted and unassisted falls. The Joint Commission
stresses the importance of a standard falls definition
in order for hospitals to accurately and consistently
track and trend fall data and states that “to reduce
the number of falls and improve overall safety, it
is important that the starting point for all reporting
and analysis begins with an organization’s clear,
consistent, and fully communicated definition of
falls.”3, p.14 Having a standard falls definition that
is interpreted and reported consistently within the
organization is key to improvement. In a study of
falls and injuries from falls in nine Midwestern
hospitals, three of which were rural, the authors
suggested that differences in fall circumstances
between types of hospitals may be a result of
differences in interpretations in the definitions of
falls and internal hospital reporting practices.12
Internal reporting and analysis are helpful and
important, but hospitals that also report their falls
data to an external organization have the added
benefit of benchmarking their data against national
2
www.exmonitoring.org
or peer organizations. One example is the National
Database for Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI)
which uses the Joint Commission definition of falls,
and provides benchmarking reports for hospitals with
fewer than 100 beds. Over 700 CAHs and other small
rural hospitals nationwide currently report falls data to
the Quality Health Indicators website (https://www.
qualityhealthindicators.org).* QHI provides reports
on unassisted falls for regional networks as well as
individual facilities.
Risk factors for falls
Inpatient falls are a persistent problem and are
frequently caused by a combination of risk factors
that are specific to patients and their conditions (i.e.,
intrinsic factors) and the hospital environment (i.e.,
extrinsic factors)26-27 (See Table 1). Understanding these
risk factors helps to identify appropriate prevention
strategies.
Intrinsic factors:• Factors related to the
patient’s physiology such as age-related
changes (decreased vision and mobility/gait
issues),1,7,20,28-31 urinary incontinence,6, 9,26
chronic illness,10 and confusion.14,31,32 Fall risk
for elders increases by as much as 4% for each
year of age.33 Polypharmacy, the use of five or
more medications, significantly increases the
fall risk for elderly patients.10,27,34,35 Additional
fall risk factors for elderly patients include
length of hospital stay, fear of falling, and
history of falls.3,6,9,26,27,32,36-38
Extrinsic factors:• Factors related to the physical
environment such as lack of grab bars, poor
condition of floor surfaces, inadequate or
improper use of assistive devices.39-41
Effective falls prevention programs include risk
assessment (e.g. identification of the patients at high
risk for falling, including physiologic/medication
factors).3,9,39,42-44 Morse classified falls into three
categories: accidental, anticipated physiologic, and
unanticipated physiologic.45,46 She suggested that since
78% of falls are related to anticipated physiologic
conditions, these can be identified early and safety
measures applied to prevent the fall. The Joint
Commission, based on research by Morse, notes that
“because the majority of falls can be anticipated and
linked to particular risk factors, it is essential to use
reliable and valid instruments for fall risk in order to
implement corresponding interventions”.3, p.87
The most commonly used risk assessment tools
are the Morse Fall Scale, the Hendrich II Fall Risk
Assessment, and the STRATIFY Risk Assessment
Tool.37,44,47-48 In a recent survey of Nebraska CAHs
and small rural hospitals, the majority use the Morse
Fall Scale.49 CAHs in Illinois use either the Morse
Fall Scale or the Hendrichs II Fall Risk. Reliance on
a valid risk assessment tool alone, however, is not
sufficient to predict and prevent all falls. In their
systematic review of risk factors and risk assessment,
Oliver and colleagues50 conclude that “even the
best, validated tools will fail to predict a significant
number of falls” and hospital staff should focus on
an integrated approach that incorporates using a
validated risk assessment during admission, targeting
common falls risk factors, modifying the environment,
and conducting post-fall assessments.
Additional components to an effective falls
prevention program include root cause analysis to
determine factors contributing to falls,51 interventions
including modification of the environment,50-54
and education and training of staff, patients, and
caregivers.3,8,11,17,20,30,42,54-55
Strategies and Interventions: Evidence from the
Literature
Relatively little is known about the extent to which
falls prevention interventions can be successfully
implemented in small rural hospitals. This is due
primarily to the fact that systematic reviews and
meta-analyses of falls in the elderly largely rely on
randomized controlled trials, which are difficult to
perform in small or rural hospitals56-60 and the fact
that the evidenced-based literature on falls and falls
prevention focuses more on community settings
rather than hospitals.61-66
Notwithstanding these limitations in the evidence
base, we identified falls prevention strategies in peer-
reviewed literature and through State Flex Programs
which are applicable to Critical Access Hospitals
(CAHs) and other small rural hospitals. (See Table
3
* The QHI website was developed through the Kansas Rural Health Options Project, a partnership between the Kansas Department of Health and
Environment Office of Local and Rural Health, the Kansas Hospital Association, the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services, and the Kansas Medical
Society, and is managed by the Kansas Hospital Association.
www.exmonitoring.org 4
2 for additional information about these strategies/
interventions.) In a recent study of nursing practices
on fall prevention in 51 community, academic,
Critical Access Hospitals, and Department of Veterans
Affairs facilities, the most common interventions
reported were bed alarms, rounding, sitters, and
moving the patient closer to the nurses’ station.48
Successful interventions are those that utilize a variety
of strategies, targeting the individual patient’s fall
risk, rather than focusing on just one aspect of falls
prevention.7,27,44,48-49,52-54,57,59,67-69 A common barrier to
a sustainable falls prevention program, especially for
small rural hospitals, is that these programs are not
often recognized as a high priority.18
The literature shows that effective falls prevention
interventions are interdisciplinary, ideally involving
pharmacy, nursing, medical, physical therapy,
and quality officers.58 Environmental changes
are the easiest to make in a falls prevention
program.3,15,20,27,30,49,58 The following list describes the
broad categories the evidence-based interventions
used in falls prevention programs and specific
initiatives within those categories:
Physiologic Changes
Toileting regimen• s are essential for elderly
patients who may be cognitively impaired or
incontinent6,70
Medication review• is highly recommended for
patients assessed as high fall risk.27,50,68,71
Environmental Changes
Alarms• : The use of bed alarms and personal
alarms is widespread as one intervention in
the prevention of inpatient falls.39,72-74
Restraints (including bedrails)• : Strategies
recommended for injury prevention for
acute care patients include: limiting restraint
use, lowering bedrails, and using floor
mats.1,10,39,48,69 Many hospital fall prevention
programs minimize or disallow the use of
restraints. However, the published evidence
on the use of bedrails is conflicting, with some
studies finding their use increases the risk of
a fall72,75 and others concluding the opposite,
that drastic reduction or discontinuation
in the use of bedrails may increase the risk
of falls.76-77 The use of bedrails as a falls
prevention strategy needs to be targeted to
the fall risk of the patient: e.g. patients who
are visually impaired or confused but mobile
enough to be at risk for climbing over bedrails
should not have their bedrails raised.76
Education and Training
Staff education• , from CNAs to Nurse
Managers, is a critical component of any falls
prevention program.3,17,42,51,78
Experience in CAHs
This section highlights the experience of several
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) which are working
with their State Office of Rural Health or as individual
hospitals to provide falls prevention programs. The
selection is not all-inclusive, and CAHs and State Flex
Programs are encouraged to share their successes
and strategies with the federal Office of Rural Health
Policy.
In Nebraska, preliminary results from the Fall Risk
Reduction Survey of 65 CAHs (response rate 86%,
n= 56) conducted by Jones and colleagues49 indicate
that over half of the CAHs use a valid risk assessment
tool and include a specific definition of falls in their
policies and procedures. The most frequently reported
universal intervention reported by 98% of respondents
was to ensure that the patient’s call light was within
reach; the most frequently reported targeted (70%)
intervention involved the use of an elevated toilet
seat. Interventions are generally used in combination,
with hospitals reporting use of a median number
of four evidence-based targeted fall risk reduction
interventions.49
Nearly half of the responding Nebraska CAHs have
an organized team to conduct fall risk reduction
activities, and 35% indicated that they always
or frequently ”integrate evidence from multiple
disciplines” (e.g. medical, nursing, physical therapy,
and pharmacy).49 Approximately 39% of the CAHs
modify their policies and procedures based on the
collection and analysis of data; additionally these
39% also conduct root cause analyses (RCA) of
harmful falls.49
In West Virginia, a pilot study conducted by the
Patient Safety Improvement Corps† in two facilities (a
small rural hospital and a CAH) showed a significant
† The Patient Safety Improvement Corps is a national training program co-sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
(AHRQ) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
www.exmonitoring.org 5
decrease in initial falls and 100% decrease in
repeat falls using root cause analysis. Based on
these positive results, a statewide training program
on performing RCAs was initiated for any West
Virginia health care facility or home health agency
wishing to participate and a State Falls Prevention
Collaborative was established. Six of the 11 facilities
in this Collaborative were CAHs. Among the 11
participating facilities, total falls per 1,000 patient
days decreased by 45 percent.51
The Montana Performance Improvement
Network, formed in 2002 with State Flex grant
funding, conducted a study in 2009 on reducing
preventable falls for CAH inpatients. Performance
measures focused on initial patient fall risk
assessment, intervention planning to reduce
fall risk, implementation of interventions, and
patient outcomes for the stay. Findings from the
study showed that 75% of participating CAHs
completed the fall risk assessment within 24 hours
of admission. Additionally, 100% of participating
CAHs reported that risk reduction interventions
are included in the nursing care plans. Over
half reported that medications are reviewed by
a pharmacist or provider,79 which is important
since one of the barriers to implementing a falls
prevention intervention lies in the need for medical
staff buy-in. Some of the CAHs do not have an
in-house pharmacist to conduct medication
assessments at admission and after a fall, so
they need to rely on staff physicians to perform
medication review which, for some, requires a solid
evidence base before the medical staff will agree.
Environmental changes, on the other hand, are
built into the culture of the hospitals since many
have swing-bed patients and staff are attuned to the
specific needs of this patient population.
The Maine Quality Forum (MQF) tracks the
number of inpatient falls with and without injury
per 1,000 inpatient days (http://www.mqf-online.
com/summary/intro.aspx). Thirteen of Maine’s
16 Critical Access Hospitals report data to the
MQF and are able to use these reports as a
benchmarking tool. Maine also has a Critical
Access Hospital Patient Safety Collaborative (http://
www.mainecahpatientsafety.net/), where falls
prevention is an important quality improvement
topic. Like most hospitals, Maine’s CAHs struggle
with staffing turnover and shortage of both nurses
and CNAs. One CAH in Maine has initiated a “Patient
Companion Program”, a paid sitter program, to help
overcome the problem of unattended patients who are
at high risk for falls. Although Tzeng and colleagues13
question the cost-effectiveness of a sitter program, it
is a solution that some hospitals, including CAHs in
Maine and elsewhere are trying with success, some
hiring CNAs as sitters, and some using volunteers.80
How Can State Flex Programs Help CAHs?
State Flex programs can assist CAHs in addressing the
problem of patient falls by:
Encouraging CAHs to use the Joint Commission’s •
definition of falls;
Providing technical assistance and support to help •
CAHs establish a consistent falls reporting system;
Encouraging CAHs to benchmark their •
performance against other CAHs;
Supporting the implementation of education and •
training programs for CAH nurses and staff on risk
assessment and falls prevention strategies;
Providing technical assistance and support to •
assist CAHs in implementing evidence-based falls
prevention initiatives.
Table 2 summarizes the falls prevention literature.
While these studies are primarily from larger
hospitals (due to the patient volume needed to
conduct randomized control trials), the strategies
reviewed, along with the results of these studies,
are likely applicable in hospitals of all sizes. State
Flex Programs can use these studies, as well as the
resources identified in the Tools and Resources List,
as a basis for working with the Flex Coordinators
and CAHs to educate and train hospital staff in
implementing a successful falls prevention program.
Below are highlights from the Montana and Illinois
State Flex Programs.
The Montana State Flex Program provides resources
to the state’s 48 CAHs including the Morse Fall Scale,
the Hendrich II Fall Risk Assessment tool, and best
practice evidence on falls as reported in the literature.
Montana’s CAHs do not all use the same falls
definition, but because many of the Montana CAHs
have swing beds, the State Flex Program encourages
them to use CMS’ guidelines for falls prevention in
long-term care. The State Flex Program also provides
tools for documentation, and opportunities to share
www.exmonitoring.org 6
best practices, protocols, and educational materials
with each other through day-long regional meetings.
They collect baseline data using a tool which
covers risk assessment, interventions, and post-fall
follow-up. Information collected is tabulated and
provided to each CAH with tables that compare the
hospital’s performance to the aggregate performance
of its peer hospitals. This information is analyzed
and compared across five peer groups facilitating
benchmarking across like-sized facilities. A summary
sheet with a composite score is made available to
the hospital board, a strategy that also encourages an
organizational approach to improving patient safety
culture.
The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network
(ICAHN) uses a scorecard approach to gather data on
inpatient acute, inpatient swing, and long-term care
falls and injuries from falls. Many Illinois CAHs use
either the Morse Fall Scale or the Hendrich II Fall Risk
Assessment tools. ICAHN maintains an active listserv
to communicate data across reporting CAHs. ICAHN’s
challenge is to make the information useful to CAHs
affiliated with larger systems as well to the smaller
CAHs. The Director of Quality Services at ICAHN
noted the need to be consistent with education and to
encourage best practices across the CAHs. She would
like to see State Flex Program dollars used for future
education and training sessions or to send CAH staff
to the National Patient Safety Foundation conference
which will allow them to share evidence-based
practices within and across their hospitals.
Conclusion
The literature and the falls prevention activities of
CAHs suggest no single intervention makes or breaks
a falls prevention program. Rather, it is important
that hospital staff view falls risk and prevention as
an integral part of the overall patient safety culture
and the overall patient care process. An advanced
practice nurse at an academic hospital in Minneapolis
articulates this well:
“Through our various quality improvement
efforts, we have learned that the introduction
of virtually any evidence-based fall
prevention measure appears to reduce
fall rates and injury rates. Based on my
experience, simply raising awareness among
staff has been shown to reduce falls.”78, p.1776
The number of inpatient falls at one Critical Access
Hospital in Maine was significantly reduced over the
course of a year through a combination of strategies
which included education and training across all
hospital staff, communication with patients and
their families/caregivers, assigning fall risk levels
based on a valid risk assessment tool, hiring CNAs as
sitters, and hourly rounding with a checklist. In rural
Texas, the Wise Regional Health System was able
to consistently and successfully reduce patient falls
by developing quality indicators to better identify
patients at risk for falls, and using that data to provide
more proactive and targeted interventions.18
The evidence is clear that a falls prevention program
that utilizes a standard definition of a fall, links
falls assessments to patient-specific intervention
strategies (utilizing a combination of interventions),
and reports and communicates falls data across staff
can reduce the number of hospital falls and injuries
from those falls. State Flex Programs and CAHs that
build upon this evidence base by formally targeting
falls prevention as a quality improvement and patient
safety initiative have an opportunity to make a
difference in patient safety.
For more information on this study, please contact Karen
Pearson at karenp@usm.maine.edu or 207-780-4553.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance
of Angie Charlet, Illinois Critical Access Hospital
Network; Katherine Jones, University of Nebraska
Medical Center; Darlene Bainbridge, DD Bainbridge
& Associates, Inc.; Kathy Wilcox, Montana
Performance Improvement Network; Laura Gamble
and the Fall Risk Committee, Providence Medical
Center, Wayne, Nebraska; Trudy O’Bar, Houlton
Regional Hospital, Houlton, Maine; Katrina Taggett,
Mayo Regional Hospital, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine; Tom
Mockus, Mount Desert Island Hospital, Bar Harbor,
Maine; and Alexander Dragaski, Maine Quality
Forum.
We also extend our thanks to colleagues at the
University of Minnesota and staff at the federal Office
of Rural Health Policy for their thoughtful review of
this policy brief.
www.exmonitoring.org 7
Intrinsic Risk Factors in Order of High to Low Risk*
Lower extremity weakness
History of falls
Gait/Balance decits
Use of assistive devices
Vision decit
Arthritis
Impaired ADLs
Depression
* Source: Gray-Micili30
Additional Intrinsic Risk Factors
Chronic illness
Orthostatic hypotension
Postural hypotension
Urinary incontinence
Mental/Cognitive decit
Medication/Polypharmacy
Antidepressants•
Antipsychotics: zolpidem•
Benzodiazapine•
Calcium channel antagonists•
Diuretics•
Hypoglycemics•
Laxatives•
Nonsteroidal anti-inammatory agents•
Sedatives/hypnotics•
Extrinsic Risk Factors
Lack of grab bars in the bath or toilet
Poor lighting
Height of bed or chairs
Improper use of assistive devices
Inadequate assistive devices
Poor condition of ooring surfaces
Improper footwear
Table 1. Fall Risk Factors
www.exmonitoring.org
Resources and Tools
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). (2011, December). Tips for Preventing Falls.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2011/1201/p1277.html
American Nurses Association. (2010, May). National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators
(NDNQI). Guidelines for Data Collection on the American Nurses Association’s National
Quality Forum Endorsed Measures: Nursing Hours per Patient Day, Skill Mix, Falls, Falls with
Injury. Kansas City, KS: ANA. https://www.nursingquality.org/ [click on sidebar link for “ANA’s
NQF-Endorsed Measure Specifications”]
ECRI Institute and Partnership for Patient Care. (2007). Failure mode and Effects Analysis: Falls
Prevention. https://www.ecri.org/Documents/Patient_Safety_Center/PPC_Falls_Prevention.pdf
Fall Prevention Resources and Research Articles (May 2010). http://www.agingservicesmn.org/
inc/data/AgingServicesHandoutResearch.pdf
Health Care Improvement Foundation, ECRI Institute, and Partnership for Patient Care. (2007).
Proactive Risk Assessment Research Summary: Falls Prevention. http://www.hcifonline.org/
files/893_file_Falls_Prevention_Research_Summary_FINAL.pdf
HealthCare.gov Implementation Center. Partnership for Patients: Better Care, Lower Costs.
Preventing Serious Fall Injuries and Immobility. http://www.healthcare.gov/center/programs/
partnership/safer/injuries.html
Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP). http://hospitalelderlifeprogram.org/
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI). 2010. Health Care Protocol: Prevention of
Falls (Acute Care). http://www.icsi.org/falls__acute_care___prevention_of__protocol_/falls__
acute_care___prevention_of__protocol__24255.html
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Reducing Harm From Falls. http://www.ihi.org/
knowledge/Pages/ImprovementStories/ABCsofReducingHarmfromFalls.aspx
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Transforming Care at the Bedside How-to
Guide: Reducing Patient Injuries from Falls. 2008. http://www.ihi.org/knowledge/Pages/Tools/
TCABHowToGuideReducingPatientInjuriesfromFalls.aspx
Minnesota Hospital Association SAFE from FALLS Campaign (2007). This is a statewide initiative
aimed at preventing people from falling during a hospital stay. Includes toolkit and a “roadmap”
for falls prevention program.
http://www.mnhospitals.org/inc/data/tools/Safe-from-Falls-Toolkit/falls-prevention-roadmap.pdf
Montana Performance Improvement Network. Reduce Preventable Falls Clinical Study Baseline
Report. http://www.mtpin.org/index.php?p=cis-active-studies
Partnership For Patients. Preventing Serious Fall Injuries and Immobility.
http://www.healthcare.gov/compare/partnership-for-patients/safety/injuries.html
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). (2010, May 27). Prevention of Hospital Falls: An
RWJF National Program. (National Program Report: HFS). Princeton, NJ: RWJF. http://www.rwjf.
org/files/research/HFS.final.pdf
United States Department of Veterans Affairs. National Center for Patient Safety.
Falls Toolkit. http://www.patientsafety.gov/SafetyTopics/fallstoolkit/index.html
8
www.exmonitoring.org
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9
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41. Donald IP, Pitt K, Armstrong E, Shuttleworth H. Preventing Falls on an Elderly Care Rehabilitation Ward.
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43. Dacenko-Grawe L, Holm K. Evidence-Based Practice: a Falls Prevention Program That Continues to
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44. Ang E. Patient Falls in Acute Care Inpatient Hospitals: A Portfolio of Research Related to Strategies in
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45. Morse JM. Enhancing the Safety of Hospitalization by Reducing Patient Falls. Am J Infect Control. 2002;
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46. Morse JM. Preventing Patient Falls. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; 1997.
47. Currie L. Fall and Injury Prevention. Annu Rev Nurs Res. 2006; 24: 39-74.
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49. Jones K, Venema D, Nailon R. A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Fall Risk Reduction in Nebraska Critical
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50. Oliver D, Daly F, Martin FC, McMurdo ME. Risk Factors and Risk Assessment Tools for Falls in Hospital
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51. Ruddick P , Hannah K, Schade CP, et al. Using Root Cause Analysis to Reduce Falls in Rural Health
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52. Stalhandske E, Mills P, Quigley P, et al. VHA’s National Falls Collaborative and Prevention Programs.
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54. Haines TP , Bennell KL, Osborne RH, Hill KD. Effectiveness of Targeted Falls Prevention Programme in
Subacute Hospital Setting: Randomised Controlled Trial. BMJ. 2004; 328(7441): 676.
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Fall Risk Status and Tailored Interventions to Prevent Patient Falls. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2009; 146:
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www.exmonitoring.org 12
56. Cameron ID, Murray GR, Gillespie LD, et al. Interventions for Preventing Falls in Older People in
Nursing Care Facilities and Hospitals. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;(1): CD005465.
57. Oliver D, Hopper A, Seed P. Do Hospital Fall Prevention Programs Work? A Systematic Review. J Am
Geriatr Soc. 2000; 48(12): 1679-89.
58. Coussement J, De Paepe L, Schwendimann R, et al. Interventions for Preventing Falls in Acute- and
Chronic-Care Hospitals: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008; 56(1): 29-36.
59. Oliver D, Connelly JB, Victor CR, et al. Strategies to Prevent Falls and Fractures in Hospitals and Care
Homes and Effect of Cognitive Impairment: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. BMJ. 2007; 334(7584):
82. http://www.bmj.com/content/334/7584/82.full.pdf
60. Chang JT, Morton SC, Rubenstein LZ, et al. Interventions for the Prevention of Falls in Older Adults:
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Clinical Trials. BMJ. 2004; 328(7441): 680.
61. McInnes E, Askie L. Evidence Review on Older People’s Views and Experiences of Falls Prevention
Strategies. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2004; 1(1): 20-37.
62. RAND. Falls Prevention Interventions in the Medicare Population. Evidence Report and Evidence-Based
Recommendations. Santa Monica, CA: RAND, Southern California Evidence-Based Practice Center; 2003.
http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/reprints/2007/RAND_RP1230.sum.pdf
63. American Geriatrics Society. AGS/BGS Clinical Practice Guideline: Prevention of Falls in Older Persons
(2010). [Web Page]. 2010. Available at: http://www.americangeriatrics.org/health_care_professionals/
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64. Tinetti ME, Williams CS. The Effect of Falls and Fall Injuries on Functioning in Community-Dwelling
Older Persons. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1998; 53(2): M112-9.
65. Peeters GM, Heymans MW, de Vries OJ, et al. Multifactorial Evaluation and Treatment of Persons With a
High Risk of Recurrent Falling Was Not Cost-Effective. Osteoporos Int. 2011; 22(7): 2187-96.
66. de Vries OJ, Peeters GM, Elders PJ, et al. Multifactorial Intervention to Reduce Falls in Older People at
High Risk of Recurrent Falls: a Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Intern Med. 2010; 170(13): 1110-7.
67. Campbell AJ, Robertson MC. Implementation of Multifactorial Interventions for Fall and Fracture
Prevention. Age Ageing. 2006; 35(suppl 2): ii60-ii64. http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/content/35/suppl_2/
ii60.abstract
68. Healey F, Monro A, Cockram A, Adams V, Heseltine D. Using Targeted Risk Factor Reduction to Prevent
Falls in Older in-Patients: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Age Ageing. 2004; 33(4): 390-395. http://ageing.
oxfordjournals.org/content/33/4/390.abstract
69. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Prevention of Hospital Falls: An RWJF National Program. (National
Program Report: HFS). Princeton, NJ: RWJF; May 2010.http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/HFS.final.pdf
70. Bakarich A, McMillan V, Prosser R. The Effect of a Nursing Intervention on the Incidence of Older Patient
Falls. Aust J Adv Nurs. 1997; 15(1): 26-31.
71. Haumschild MJ, Karfonta TL, Haumschild MS, Phillips SE. Clinical and Economic Outcomes of a Fall-
Focused Pharmaceutical Intervention Program. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2003; 60(10): 1029-32.
72. Evans D, Wood J, Lambert L. Patient Injury and Physical Restraint Devices: a Systematic Review. J Adv
Nurs. 2003; 41(3): 274-82.
73. Trepanier S. Prevention of Falls and Bed Alarms: The State of the Science. Dallas, TX: Texas Tech
University; 2009.
74. Tideiksaar R, Feiner CF, Maby J. Falls Prevention: the Efficacy of a Bed Alarm System in an Acute-Care
Setting. Mt Sinai J Med. 1993; 60(6): 522-7.
75. Evans D, Wood J, Lambert L. A Review of Physical Restraint Minimization in the Acute and Residential
Care Settings. J Adv Nurs. 2002; 40(6): 616-25.
76. Healey F, Oliver D. Bedrails, Falls and Injury: Evidence or Opinion? A Review of Their Use and Effects.
Nurs Times. 2009; 105(26): 20-4.
77. Healey F, Oliver D, Milne A, Connelly JB. The Effect of Bedrails on Falls and Injury: A Systematic Review
of Clinical Studies. Age Ageing. 2008; 37(4): 368-78.
78. Hadidi N. Interventions for Preventing Falls in Acute and Chronic Care Hospitals: A Systematic Review
and Meta-Analysis. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008; 56(9): 1776-7.
79. Montana Rural Healthcare Performance Improvement Network. Reduce Preventable Falls Clinical Study
Baseline Report. Aggregate and Peer Group Results. [Web Page]. 2009. Available at: http://www.mtpin.org/
docs/baseline%20Agg%20Peer%20Falls%20report%200110.doc. Accessed April 28, 2011.
80. Giles LC, Bolch D, Rouvray R, et al. Can Volunteer Companions Prevent Falls Among Inpatients? A
Feasibility Study Using a Pre-Post Comparative Design. BMC Geriatr. 2006; 6: 11.
81. Weber V, White A, McIlvried R. An Electronic Medical Record (EMR)-Based Intervention to Reduce
Polypharmacy and Falls in an Ambulatory Rural Elderly Population. J Gen Intern Med. 2008; 23(4): 399-404.
82. Vassallo M, Vignaraja R, Sharma J, Briggs R, Allen S. Tranquilliser Use As a Risk Factor for Falls in Hospital
Patients. Int J Clin Pract. 2006; 60(5): 549-52.
83. Hanger HC, Ball MC, Wood LA. An Analysis of Falls in the Hospital: Can We Do Without Bedrails? J Am
Geriatr Soc. 1999; 47(5): 529-31.
84. Haines TP, Bell RA, Varghese PN. Pragmatic, Cluster Randomized Trial of a Policy to Introduce Low-Low
Beds to Hospital Wards for the Prevention of Falls and Fall Injuries. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2010; 58(3): 435-41.
85. Tzeng H-M , Yin C-Y. Heights of Occupied Patient Beds: a Possible Risk Factor for Inpatient Falls. J Clin
Nurs. 2008; 17(11): 1503-1509. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2007.02086.x
86. Mayo NE, Gloutney L, Levy AR. A Randomized Trial of Identification Bracelets to Prevent Falls Among
Patients in a Rehabilitation Hospital. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1994; 75(12): 1302-8.
87. Chari S, Haines T, Varghese P, Economidis A. Are Non-Slip Socks Really ‘Non-Slip’? An Analysis of Slip
Resistance. BMC Geriatr. 2009; 9: 39.
88. Schwendimann R, Milisen K, Buhler H, De Geest S. Fall Prevention in a Swiss Acute Care Hospital Setting
Reducing Multiple Falls. J Gerontol Nurs. 2006; 32 (3): 13-22.
www.exmonitoring.org 13
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
14
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
Single Interventions: Physiological
Root Cause Analysis
(RCA)
Agency for
Healthcare
Research and
Quality
(AHRQ) &
U.S.
Department of
Veterans
Affairs
Training program (Patient
Safety Improvement Corps)
in West Virginia provided
learning sessions for over
300 health care workers and
development of a state-wide
Falls Prevention
Collaborative to collect and
report falls data.
Not given.
11 hospitals,
2 rural, 6
CAHs
60% decrease in initial
falls, 10% decrease in
repeat falls;
Aggregate decrease of
45% in falls in
Collaborative.
Yes, 6 of
the 11
study
hospitals
were
CAHs.
Ruddick,
2008.51
Root Cause Analysis
(RCA)
Aged Care
Services at
Calufield
General
Medical
Centre,
Melbourne,
Australia
QI project to determine if
multi-strategy prevention
approach reduces rate of falls
and injuries. RCA used to
identify systems and
processes contributing to
falls.
Study conducted in four units
of 96-120 beds per unit.
Aged care
service
wards for
acute care,
geriatric
evaluation
and
management
and
restorative
RCA found that 82%
falls not observed; 60%
occurred around the
bed;
19% reduction in falls
per 1000 bed days over
2 year study period.
No
Fonda et al.,
2006.53
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
15
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
care.
2/3rds of
admissions
for elderly
patients
were acute
and
unplanned
Restraints
Princess
Margaret
Hospital,
Christchurch,
New Zealand
Prospective “before & after”
study. Intervention included
educational training on
restricting the use of bedrails.
Study undertaken in five
wards of 25-30 beds each,
with a total of 135 beds.
Rehabili-
tation unit
for older
adults. No
demographic
information
provided
Falls reduced from 30%
to 11% post-
intervention;
Reduction in number of
beds without bedrails
after policy was
introduced, but fall rate
did not change
significantly.
No
Hanger, Ball
& Wood,
1999.83
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
16
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
Medication Review
Aventis
Pharmaceuticals
Retrospective Study in an
urban rehabilitation center.
Fall-focused pharmaceutical
intervention plan to
determine whether there is an
association between falls
among the elderly and
specific medication classes.
Intervention used the
American Society of
Consultant Pharmacists
MDS- MedGuide and
included complete review of
all medications by a
consultant pharmacist
Patients > 65
had 1 year
stay for
diagnoses of
orthopedic,
respiratory,
neurology,
infection or
cardio-
vascular
issues.
47% reduction in the
number of patient falls
post-intervention.
Use of medications
decreased post-
intervention:
cardiovascular
analgesic
psychoactive
sedatives &
hypnotics
Number of patient falls
decreased as use of
medications decreased.
No
Haumschild et
al., 2003.71
Medication Review
Geisinger
Health Systems
(GHS).
GHS serves a
40-county area
Prospective randomized
study to evaluate an
Electronic Medical Record
(EMR)-based intervention to
reduce polypharmacy and
falls. Falls data obtained from
620 patients
aged > 70, 4
or more
active
prescriptions
and 1or
No change in overall
number of medications;
Negative association
between new
medication starts and
No
Weber et al.,
2007.81
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
17
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
of over 2.5
million persons
in largely rural
and north-
eastern
Pennsylvania
inpatient hospitalizations, ED
visits, outpatient visits, and
self-reported falls.
Intervention: clinical
pharmacist reviewed
patients’ medication record
and sent message via EMR
alerting PCP to fall risk.
more
psycho-
active
medications.
number of psychoactive
medications
Reduced risk for fall-
related diagnoses.
Medication Review
Royal
Bournemouth
Hospital,
United
Kingdom
Prospective observational
study of 1025 patients
admitted to 3 general
rehabilitation units in a non-
acute geriatric hospital. Aim
of study was to identify
associations of tranquilizer
use (benzodiazapine or
antipsychotic medications)
and risk of fall in confused
and nonconfused patients
Rehabili-
tation
hospital,
elderly
patients
aged > 80
Confused patients and
patients on tranquilizers
were more likely to fall;
Confused patients on
tranquilizers more
likely to have recurrent
falls.
No
Vassallo et al.,
2006.82
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
18
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
Toileting Regimen
Flinders
Medical
Centre, South
Australia
Pre-post test, 450-bed urban
teaching hospital.
Intervention group were
provided toileting assistance
every 2 hours (whether or not
they indicated a need).
Intervention
group:
Patients
admitted to
the medical
or surgical
wards over
the age of
70 with
confusion
and mobility
problems
16% falls in the
intervention group;
84% falls in the control
group;
53% fewer falls during
shifts in which risk
assessment and toileting
intervention was used.
No
Bakarich,
McMillan &
Prosser,
1997.70
Toileting Regimen
University of
Michigan,
School of
Nursing
Qualitative study in a
community hospital to
determine prevalence of
inpatient falls associated with
toileting. Study used content
analysis of incident reports.
Suburban hospital with 109
medical beds; 53 surgical
beds, and 34 med-surg beds
Adult
patients,
with mean
age of 75.59
(78.2% aged
65 or older)
42.2% falls related to
toileting, with the most
common occurring on
the way from the bed
or chair to the
bathroom;
58.3% falls occurred
on the medical units;
Author recommends
No
Tzeng, 2010.6
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
19
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
(combined unit).
training and promotion
of safe patient
transfers.
Single Interventions: Environmental
Low-rise Beds
Allied Health
Clinical
Research Unit,
Australia
Pragmatic, matched cluster
randomized trial in 18 public
hospital wards. Intervention:
1 low-rise bed provided for
every 12 beds on a ward,
with written instructions for
identifying patients at
greatest risk for falls.
Study wards included acute
medical, rehabilitation and
orthopedic.
Intervention
population
included
patients with
neurological
impairment
(Parkinson’s
disease or
dementia) or
impulsive
behavior
(especially
the tendency
to mobilize
without
needed
No significant
difference in fall-
related outcomes
between the 2 groups.
No
Haines, et al.,
2010.84
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
20
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
assistance)
Low-rise Beds
University of
Michigan,
School of
Nursing
Intervention: Bed height
measurements taken at
regular intervals to determine
relationship between staff
working height for patient
beds, time, and whether
patients were on falls
precaution.
Study conducted in a 32-bed
acute medical ward.
Patient
demo-
graphics not
given.
Average bed height
was significantly
higher for patients on
fall precautions than
for those not on
precautions,
suggesting that
nursing staff may be
consciously or
unconsciously keeping
the beds in a higher
position as a passive
restraint and so that
patients will have to
use the call bell to get
out of bed.
No
Tzeng, 2008.85
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
21
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
Flooring
Gloucestershire
Royal Hospital,
United
Kingdom
Comparison of two flooring
types in the bed areas for falls
avoidance. Intervention:
randomized group of patients
assigned to ward with
carpeting.
Study conducted in a 28 bed
elderly care ward in a com-
munity hospital.
Patients
aged >80
years.
n=54;
44 female,
9 with
severe
confusion,
10 with fall
on
admission,
20 with
stroke on
admission.
Rate of falls:
Carpet: 63%
(n=10)
Vinyl: 6% (n=1).
Use of carpeted
flooring at bedside did
not lead to reduced
incidence of falls.
Unsure
Donald et al.,
2000.41
Colored ID bracelets
Royal Victoria
Hospital,
Quebec,
Canada
Randomized Controlled Trial
conducted in a rehabilitation
hospital. Intervention:
Colored identification
wristbands given to
randomized group of patients
Patients aged
> 80 years,
with 1 or
more risk
factors for
falls or for
41% (n=27) in the
intervention group vs.
30% (n=20) in the
control group fell at
least once, suggesting
that colored
No
Mayo et al.,
1994.86
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
22
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
at high risk for falls.
fractures.
Admitting
diagnosis of
stroke or
ataxia,
history of
multiple falls,
or
incontinence.
wristbands as the sole
intervention was of no
benefit in preventing
falls.
Non-slip socks
Princess
Alexandra
Hospital
Physiotherapy
Gait
Laboratory,
Queensland
Health,
Australia
Two-phase testing of
compression socks and non-
slip footwear marketed for
use in hospitals.
Phase I: laboratory testing
Phase II: in-situ testing on
healthy adults
Phase II
patients
aged 29-31.
Age of study
participant
noted as a
limitation
since many
hospitalized
patients are
older and
Non-slip socks
performed varied in
traction performance,
with barefoot
conditions
consistently resulting
in the highest levels of
traction, suggesting
that non-slip socks are
not an adequate
alternative to well-
fitting rubber-soled
No
Chari et al,
2009.87
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
23
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
more frail.
footwear or bare feet.
The author also notes
that poorly fitting
socks or misaligned
socks could constitute
a fall hazard and that
cognitively impaired
patients need attention
of nursing staff for
proper alignment of
socks. Thus the risks
outweigh the minimal
benefit of non-slip
footwear.
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
24
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
Multifactorial Intervention
Falls Prevention
Program
Wise Regional
Health System,
Texas.
Study
conducted in
the 148-bed
facility, which
until 2004 was
a 50-bed
facility
Review of data to determine
quality indicators for
identification of high fall risk
patients. Evaluation and
improvement process
included creating a statistical
demographic profile of the
patient and implementing fall
prevention tools:
toileting rounds,
verbal reports at shift
change,
staff training and
education,
involvement of patient
and family,
increased caregiver
involvement, signage
throughout the hospital.
Review of
data included
patients aged
<33 to 93
with patients
aged 59-60
experiencing
the highest
number of
falls, a high
Braden Scale
score, and a
Fall Risk
Score of 10-
13 on the
Hendrich II
Fall Risk
Assessment.
Patient falls decreased
from 4.37 to 0 falls
per 1,000 patient days
in the 3 month study
period.
Yes
Wayland et
al., 2010.18
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
25
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
Falls Prevention
Program
Northern
Rivers Area
Health Service,
New South
Wales
Evaluation of effectiveness of
Falls Prevention Program
which included:
Falls Prevention
Assessment Form;
Non-slip mat
Call bell and assistive
devices within reach
Education & training of
nursing staff, patients
and families
Environmental assessments
Patients
aged 65 or
older who
were
admitted to
the general
(med-surg)
ward.
High risk
patients
identified by
colored
armband and
dot on
chart/care
plan, given
full
supervision,
non-slip
mats,
bedrails as
Reduced the incidence
of falls (percentage
not given) and was
found to be effective
for those patients
requiring minimal
assistance with
walking.
However, it was less
effective for those
using pick-up frames
or forearm support
frames.
Yes
Hathaway et
al., 2001.20
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
26
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
deemed
necessary,
bed alarms
and paging
systems.
Fall Prevention
Protocol (FPP)
Evanston
Hospital,
Evanston,
Illinois
Fall Prevention Protocol
developed by 325 bed
hospital which included
risk assessment at
shift changes,
hourly rounding,
staff, patient, and
family education,
alarms,
nonskid footwear,
toileting regimens,
signage
Patients
aged > 65
years,
accounting
for 12.5% of
inpatient
admissions
and 70%
inpatient
falls.
Annual decline in falls
from 4.04 to 2.27 per
1000 patient days.
Results attributed to
adherence and
updating of Fall
Prevention Protocol
(adding nursing
interventions in
response to quarterly
fall data) and
communication to all
hospital staff.
No
Dacenko-
Grawe,
2008.43
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
27
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
Fall Prevention
Protocol (FPP)
Tucson
Medical
Center, Tucson,
Arizona
Evaluation of the Fall
Prevention Protocol (FPP) in
a 550-bed acute care facility.
FPP included:
Fall definition
Fall assessment
Communication
(including signage)
Education (including in-
services, post-fall
assessment skills
workshops, reporting and
reviewing falls data on
the hospital intranet)
Interventions: non-skid
footwear, toileting
regimen, limited use of
restraints
Phase I: Hospital-wide
education stressing
Patient
demo-
graphics not
given.
Fall risk
assessed at
admission
and shift
changes.
Average number of
hospital falls during the
3-year study period:
4 per 1,000 patient days
44% falls identified as
preventable
37% falls related to
toileting needs.
No
McCarter-
Bayer, 2005.5
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
28
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
identification of patients at
risk for falls, the use of the
FPP, and correct completion
of the FPP reporting tool.
Phase II: Staff training to
distinguish between
preventable and non-
preventable falls and creating
strategies for post-fall
assessments.
Phase III: Staff education
focused on using clinically
relevant patient info to
implement fall prevention
strategies specific to
individual nursing units.
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
29
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
Targeted Risk
Factor Reduction
National
Patient Safety
Agency, United
Kingdom
Randomized controlled trial.
Intervention: Targeted care
plan including falls risk
assessment and their related
interventions in the form of a
pre-printed care plan.
Targeted intervention
options:
Medication review
Orthostatic blood pressure
Eyesight check
Mobility assistance
Environmental check:
bedrails, footwear, bed
height, position in ward
(e.g. moving closer to
nursing station),
environmental cause of
fall, call bell within
reach).
Patients
aged > 75
years.
Population
served by
this health
agency
included
rural
residents
6 months post-
intervention:
30% reduction in risk of
falls;
No significant
difference between
groups in overall effect
on injury rate.
No
Healey et al.,
2004.68
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
30
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
Targeted, Multiple
Intervention Falls
Prevention Program
Victorian
Department of
Human
Services,
Australia
Randomized controlled trial
in a metropolitan hospital,
sub-acute ward. Intervention
included:
Falls risk alert card
(placed above the
patient’s bed) with
information brochure
for families and
patients;
Tailored exercise
program
Education sessions
(30 min, twice
weekly)
Hip protectors
626 patients
aged 38-99,
with average
age = 80
years.
Intervention group
experienced 30% fewer
falls than control group
and 28% reduction of
falls with injury
This randomized
controlled trial showed
that the incidence of
falls in hospitalized
elderly patients can be
reduced, providing
valuable evidence for
hospital administrators
and practitioners of
subacute hospitals
where falls are a
common and dangerous
occurance.
No
Haines et al.,
2004.54
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
31
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
Targeted, Multiple
Intervention
University of
Adelaide,
South Australia
Randomized control trial in
eight medical wards ranging
from 17-45 beds in a
Singapore hospital to
determine the effectiveness
of a targeted multiple
intervention strategy to
reduce the number of falls in
an acute care inpatient
hospital. Intervention group
received the usual universal
multiple interventions
(colored wristband; alert card
on patient’s headboard; call
bell within reach; low bed
position; bed side rails raised;
reassessment at every shift)
as well as 30 minute
education session on fall risk
and specific interventions
based on their individual risk
Patients
admitted for
medical
conditions
including
cardiac,
respiratory,
renal,
oncology,
gastro-
enterology,
and
endocrine
issues. Also
had a score
of > 5 on the
Hendrich II
Fall Risk
Assessment
The use of targeted
multiple interventions
reduced the risk of
falling to about 29% of
the risk in usual fall
prevention
interventions.
The proportion of high-
risk patients who fell in
the intervention group
(0.4%) was
significantly lower
compared with the
control group (1.5%).
No
Ang, 2008.44
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
32
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
factors of:
Confusion: Use of
sitters
Symptomatic
Depression: Refer to
doctor
Incontinence:
Medication review;
Toileting regimen;
Patient/family
education
Dizziness/vertigo:
Review recent labs;
check blood pressure
for postural
hypotension; refer to
doctor; patient
education
Medications related
to fall risk
(anitepileptics,
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
33
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
benzodiazapines,
diuretics): Patient
education on
medication and fall
risk; instruction to
call for assistance on
toileting, bathing,
and mobility
Difficulty with mobility:
Review recent labs; Instruct
patient to use assistive
devices; refer to PT
Fall Prevention
Program
University
Hospital of
Basel,
Switzerland
Intervention conducted in
two hospital units consisting
of 22 beds each:
Training staff in use of
Morse Fall Scale
Implementation of 15
selected preventive
interventions
Internal
Medicine
patients with
a mean age
of 70.3 and
a mean
length of
stay of 11.3
days.
Intervention program
showed effect in
preventing multiple falls
but not first falls.
Proportion of patients
with first falls:
Intervention: 20%
Control: 56%
No
Schwendimann
et al., 2006.88
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
34
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
1. Identification of
Physical Deficit
2. Identification of Mental
Deficit
3. Patient Education
4. Placement of call bell,
lights, & personal
articles within reach
5. Bed height
6. Stabilization of furniture
7. Obstacles cleared from
pathways
8. Safe footwear
9. Nursing assistance with
transfer and ambulation
10. Toileting assistance
11. Assistive devices used
properly
12. Exercise
13. Monitoring confused
patients
Number of Falls
Intervention: 31
Control: 51
Falls per 1,000 patient
days:
Intervention: 11.5
Control: 15.7
(not statistically
significant)
* Arranged by Single Interventions (Physiological, Environmental) and Multifactorial Interventions.
Studies that included CAHs or small rural hospitals are listed first within the category.
35
Table 2. Evidence-based Falls Prevention Strategies*
Strategies /
Interventions
Sponsoring
Organization
Program Description
Patient
Population
Results
Inclusion
of CAHs
or small
rural
hospitals
Citations
14. Medication review
15. Colored signage
indicating high fall risk
(on chart & above bed)
