Falls in Newly Admitted Nursing Home Residents: A National Study

Objectives To examine the relationship between nursing home ( NH ) organizational characteristics and falls in newly admitted NH residents. Design Observational cross‐sectional study from J anuary 1, 2006, to D ecember 31, 2006. Setting NH s in the U nited S tates in 2006. Participants Individuals (n = 230,730) admitted to a NH in 2006 without a prior NH stay and with a follow‐up Minimum Data Set ( MDS ) assessment completed 30 days or more after admission. Measurements The relationship between experiencing a fall noted on the MDS assessment and NH characteristics (e.g., staffing, profit and chain status, religious affiliation, hospital‐based facility status, number of beds, presence of a special care unit, funding) was examined, adjusting for NH resident characteristics. Results Twenty‐one percent of this cohort (n = 47,750) had experienced at least one fall in the NH at the time of the MDS assessment, which was completed for newly admitted NH residents who had at least a 30‐day stay. NH s with higher certified nursing assistant ( CNA ) staffing had lower rates of falls (adjusted odds ratio = 0.97, 95% confidence interval = 0.95–0.99). Conclusion For newly admitted NH residents, NH s with higher CNA staffing had a lower fall rate. In an effort to maximize fall prevention efforts, further research is needed to understand the relationship between CNA staffing and falls in this NH population.