Authors (including presenting author) :
Lai YL(1), Chung WY(1), Woo CCK(1), Lai SWL(1), Ng WM(1), Wong KY(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Medicine & Geriatrics, Pok Oi Hopspital
Introduction :
Fall is one of the major risks to M&G inpatients. According to local statistics, there is 40% M&G inpatients are high fall risk. The consequence of patient falls may create serious adverse effect to patients, carers and hospital. A pilot program in reducing harm from falls to inpatients was implemented in M&G, POH.
Objectives :
1) To identify high injury risk inpatients; and (2) to increase staff awareness to high fall injury patient group in M&G wards.
Methodology :
An “ABCs” tool is adopted to screen the high injury risk inpatients from September 2015. Patients with Morse Fall Assessment Scale classified as high fall risk, nursing staff will perform ABCs assessment to them. For patients with age over 90, or bone disorders, or coagulation disorders, or recent thoracic/ abdominal surgery, we grouped them as high fall and high fall injury risk (double risk) patients. Apart from standard intervention for high risk of fall patients, we raised the alertness of all medical, nursing and supporting staff to the double risk group patients in M&G wards. A specific double risk signage was designed and posted up outside cubicles in ward and attached in hospital folders so as to increase staff alertness in this group of patients. The double risk patients were placed in most easy observation bed in wards.
Result & Outcome :
Retrospective review of the effectiveness of “ABCs” tool is done. For the year (2014/2015) before our implementation of the high injury risk screening, the total number of reported fall cases in M&G POH was 47. Among the fall cases, 8 of them had falls with severity index level 3 or above. For the years (2015/2015 & 2016/2017) after our implementation of the “ABCs” tool, the total reported fall cases was 39 & 43 and 1 of them resulted with severity index level 3 or above in each year. The “ABCs” tool is an effective means to reduce harm from falls in M&G wards although the fall rate remains unchanged.
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