Survey of falls of inpatients at the Ryde Hospital in 1986.
OBJECTIVE
To outline the findings of one survey, and to raise some general issues about falls.


METHODS
A retrospective survey of all recorded inpatient falls in 1986.


RESULTS
There were 74 falls recorded in 1986, which gave an incidence rate of 0.184 falls per hundred bed days. Due to the lack of data on falls from other local hospitals, no meaningful comparison can be made. Not unexpectedly, the elderly were at greatest risk of falling, and the most common type of fall was from bed. Most falls caused no major injuries.
Lake
M
M
Macquarie Area Health Service, Eastwood, New South Wales.
Biro
G
G
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D005376:Financial Management; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D009517:New South Wales; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D010361:Patients; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012308:Risk Management