Abstract

ALMEIDA, Ricardo Alexandre Rebelo de; ABREU, Cidalina da Conceição Ferreira de  and  MENDES, Aida Maria de Oliveira Cruz. Falls in hospitalized patients: contributions to practice based on prevention. Rev. Enf. Ref. [online]. 2010, vol.serIII, n.2, pp.163-172. ISSN 0874-0283.

Inpatient falls are the most documented accidents in hospital, gaining particular attention because of the individual consequences they cause and the increased length of stay in hospital, which increases economic and social costs. The aim of this paper is to contribute to greater understanding of the fall phenomenon, raising awareness among nurses of the need for study and incorporation of this issue into clinical care practice, through the analysis and characterization of the fall phenomenon, looking for contributions in the scientific literature that can lead to better understanding and development of strategies for action/prevention. We performed a literature review, searching scientific databases (B-on and EBSCO-host) and the bibliographic collection of Coimbra Nursing School. In scientific literature a fall is described as a multifactorial event with individual or environmental causes. Although the research undertaken in this area highlighted some risk factors, these are contextual and related to specific characteristics of the individuals concerned. Thus, individual risk assessment, determination of risk factors and establishment of intervention protocols have emerged as effective preventive measures. Nurses are the best professionals to promote patient safety, develop/use tools to assess fall risk and implement preventive measures, based on scientific evidence and supported in continuing education.

Keywords : accidental falls; risk; security; patient.

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