Learning Objective #1: Identify fall risk factors that place the elderly at increased risk of falling

Learning Objective #2: Relate how analysis of falls can reduce or eliminate fall occurrences in the elderly

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Falls occur in all healthcare settings; elderly patients are at increased risk of falling. Internal and environmental factors place elderly patients at greater risk of falling. Falls lead to physical and emotional injury and decreased quality of life. Nurses can play a crucial role in identifying fall risk factors and in implementing interventions to reduce or eliminate the patient's risk of falling. A methodological study was conducted to test the psychometric properties of the Fall Analysis Data Collection Tool (FADCT) and to determine if the tool was clinically useful in analyzing fall occurrences. The FADCT is comprised of categories of information that define essential components essential in analyzing fall occurrences. Expert panel review of the tool concluded the FADCT is psychometrically valid and reliable in analyzing fall occurrences. A total of forty-five patients met the criteria for inclusion in this study because they experienced at least one fall during the study period. Analysis of the data revealed that the number of falls which occurred in Hospital #2 decreased after the FADCT was implemented in late September 2003. The study also substantiated that the FADCT was clinically useful in identifying specific fall risk factors for patients who fell in Hospital #1 in 2004 and Hospital #2 in 2003 and 2004.