Data on patients with at least one fall between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2015 were abstracted from the Hospital Incident Reporting System. A fall was defined as an unexpected event in which the patient comes to rest on the ground, the floor or lower level. Overall, 447 episodes were analyzed (Figure 1).
Figure 1
The study showed that the majority of falls was reported during nighttime and due to loss of balance and slipping. More than 30% of incidences were related to nighttime urination (Figure 2).
Figure 2
Data suggest that the rate of falls of 1.7 incidences per 1000 is an underestimation because many in-hospital falls are not reported. Future multisite prospective studies could inform prevention interventions towards decreasing falls in hospital patients.
Presented by: Ronny Pieters, MD, Ghent University Hospital
Co-authors: Decalf V, Bower W F, Petrovic M, Eeckloo K, Everaert K
Written by: Hanna Stambakio, BS, Clinical Research Coordinator, Division of Urology, University of Pennsylvania, @PennUrology at the 2018 ICS International Continence Society Meeting - August 28 - 31, 2018 – Philadelphia, PA USA