Risk items associated with patient falls in oncology and medical settings.
The aim of this study was to determine whether items on a falls risk-assessment tool, made up of brief cognitive and physical measures that nurses use in practice, differentiated fallers and nonfallers in oncology and medical settings. A measure of leg muscle strength clearly distinguished between fallers and nonfallers, with the latter having stronger leg muscles. For nursing practice, the assessment of patients' muscle strength seems to be the most useful scale for identifying potential fallers.
O'Connell
Bev O
BO
Deakin-Southern Health Nursing Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia. beverly.oconnell@deakin.edu.au
Baker
Linda
L
Gaskin
Cadeyrn J
CJ
Hawkins
Mary T
MT
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment