Patient Falls Case Study

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The Problem of Patient Falls
Inpatient falls are one of the most serious patient safety and quality issues in inpatient settings. In acute care hospitalizations, approximately 1.9-3% of elderly patients experience a fall. Between 2 and 15 per cent of inpatients are victims of falls during hospitalization (Pearson and Coburn, 2011). Falls cause serious injuries and sometimes death in elderly patients in inpatient care. According to Pearson and Coburn (2011), a tenth of the older patient falls that result in fatalities occurs in hospitals. Most falls, affecting the elderly either occur in the patient’s room or the bathroom. Environmental conditions and treatment options for the patients are among factors that affect the likelihood of a fall in