Evaluation of a Patient-Centered Fall-Prevention Tool Kit to Reduce Falls and Injuries

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Abstract
Falls represent a leading cause of preventable injury.1 Hospitalized patients are at an increased risk for falls, which may result in serious injuries, such as hip fractures, subdural hematomas, or even death.2,3 Injurious falls are associated with increased hospital stays of 6 to 12 days,4 and the costs of serious episodes of injury range from $19 376 to $32 215 (2019 USD).5 Patient falls and related injuries are considered nursing-sensitive indicators because fall prevention depends on the quantity and quality of nursing care.6-8 Most falls in hospitals are preventable,9 and resultant injuries are not reimbursed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.10 Multifactorial strategies can reduce rates of falls in hospitals, although the evidence for reducing fall-related injuries is inconclusive owing to the limited number of clinical trials that have assessed this outcome.11 To our knowledge, no prior multisite evaluation in acute care hospitals has shown a significant reduction in injurious falls.

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