Evaluation of Fall Incidents in Inpatient Wards: A Retrospective Study From a City Hospital

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the factors contributing to falls among hospitalized patients and to evaluate the efficacy of preventive measures by analyzing root cause analyses.Methods: Fall incidents occurring in the Chest, Heart, and Vascular Hospital wards in 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Demographic data of the patients, information related to the individuals and areas involved in the falls, as well as post-fall pathologies and educational documents, were also examined.Falls were assessed using the ITAKI Fall Risk Scale, which was completed for all inpatients, alongside the routinely utilized Fall Incident Report Form and Root Analysis Record Form specifically for all cases.Results: A total of 30 fall incidents were evaluated, with a mean age of 72.73 11.75 years (minimum: 53, maximum: 90), of which 60% (n: 18) were male.Twenty-six patients (87%) had an education level of primary school or lower.Fourteen falls (46.7%) occurred between 24.00 and 08.00 hours, and in 22 cases (73.3%), there was no caregiver present at the time of the fall. Conclusion:The results of the study indicated that men have a higher risk of falling, the risk of falls increasing with age, and despite the education provided prior to the fall incidents and the implementation of protective safety measures, a greater number of falls were observed in patients due to individual factors.