Standardized Fall Risk Assessment Tools in Healthcare

Standardized Fall Risk Assessment Tools in Healthcare
Fall risk assessment is an important part of patient safety in healthcare settings. Falls can cause serious injuries like fractures and head traumas, as well as increased medical costs and longer hospital stays. Standardized fall risk assessment tools help healthcare providers quickly and objectively evaluate a patient’s risk of falling. This allows providers to take appropriate prevention measures for at-risk patients.
Some of the most commonly used standardized fall risk assessment tools include:
The Morse Fall Scale
The Morse Fall Scale (MFS) is a six-item scale that evaluates history of falling, secondary diagnosis, ambulatory aid, IV therapy, gait and mental status (Oliver et al., 1997). Scores range from 0 to 125, with higher scores indicating greater fall risk. A score of 45 or higher is considered high risk. The MFS has demonstrated good reliability and validity in multiple studies (Hendrich et al., 2003).
The Hendrich II Fall Risk Model
The Hendrich II Fall Risk Model evaluates six risk factors: mental status change, toileting, transfers, walking, medical diagnosis, and medications (Hendrich, 2007). Scores range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating higher risk. A score of 4 or more is considered high risk. The Hendrich II has demonstrated good predictive validity and reliability (Hendrich et al., 1995).
The St. Thomas’s Risk Assessment Tool in Falling Elderly Inpatients (STRATIFY)
The STRATIFY is a five-item scale that evaluates history of falling, secondary diagnosis, ambulatory aid, type of admission, and mental status (Oliver et al., 2004). Scores range from 0 to 5, with scores of 2 or higher indicating increased risk. The STRATIFY has demonstrated good predictive validity and reliability in multiple studies (Oliver et al., 1997).
These standardized tools allow healthcare providers to quickly and objectively evaluate key fall risk factors. They help identify patients who may benefit from targeted fall prevention interventions like exercise programs, bed alarms, and increased supervision (Hendrich et al., 2003). Proper use of standardized fall risk assessments is an important part of a multifaceted approach to fall prevention in healthcare settings.
Works Cited
Hendrich, A., Nyhuis, A., Kippenbrock, T., & Soja, M. E. (1995). Hospital falls: development of a predictive model for clinical practice. Applied Nursing Research, 8(3), 129–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0897-1897(95)80748-3
Hendrich, A. L. (2007). Predicting patient falls: using the Hendrich II Fall Risk Model in clinical practice. American Journal of Nursing, 107(11), 50–58. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000297918.87071.f7
Oliver, D., Healey, F., & Haines, T. P. (2010). Preventing falls and fall-related injuries in hospitals. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 26(4), 645–692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2010.06.005