title: Creating a protocol to reduce inpatient falls.
abstract: Falls in hospital are a widespread and challenging problem. They cause harm and distress to patients, and are a source of anxiety for nurses and relatives. This article describes how an acute trust in the North West of England improved its service through staff education and implementing a policy across the trust. The protocol included a falls risk assessment, bedrails risk/benefit assessment and preprinted falls risk assessment care plans. Nurses' knowledge and the quality and completeness of patient documentation improved and, over the three years, falls reduced by a statistically significant 17%.
authors.affiliation: Bridgewater Community Healthcare Trust, Wigan.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heaton
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009731:Nursing Audit / Q000379:methods*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D017751:Safety Management / Q000592:standards*