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  • Title: [Reduction of the number of falls in hospitalized patients using a risk index and through preventive measures].
    Author: Kuipers HM, Hoefnagels WH, van Lier HJ.
    Journal: Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd; 1993 Oct 02; 137(40):2043-8. PubMed ID: 8413720.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of early identification of hospitalised patients with an increased risk of falling and of preventive measures on the frequency of falling. SETTING: Ten medical units (two neurology, five internal medicine, three surgery; 276 beds) in the St. Radboud Hospital in Nijmegen. METHODS: In a first case control study (5 months), a slightly modified falling risk index of Innes and Turman was validated. In a following (5.5 months) study period the index was computed for every hospitalised patient. Preventive measures were used in patients with a high score. The numbers of falls in both study periods were compared. All falls were carefully documented. RESULTS: High scores on the index were significantly associated with falls (p < 0.001). In both study periods (1 and 2) sensitivity (87% and 89%) and specificity (82% and 74%) of the index were high. A significant reduction in fall rate, 86 falls in period 1 versus 66 in period 2, was achieved, (corrected for number of patients and patient days). CONCLUSION: The modified index is a useful instrument for early identification of patients with a substantial risk of falling in the hospital. Early risk identification and preventive measures were successful in reducing the number of falls.
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