EP3 - Reducing general surgical inpatient falls: an allied health professionals’ perspective

Abstract Aims Understand the current view of inpatient falls on a general surgical ward from allied health professionals. Identifies ways to reduce inpatient falls in general surgery. Methods Staff from two acute surgical wards were surveyed in December 2023. Seven questions used Likert scales (1-to-5, 1=Not preventable at all/significantly reduces the risks of falls/not confident at all/unimportant 5= Entirely preventable /significantly increases the risks of falls/very confident/important). One question focused on recent fall involvement. Modal values were taken. Data was inputted using Google Docs and analysed in Microsoft Excel. Results 13 responded (5 nurses, 4 health care support workers, 4 sisters). 7/13 had been involved in a fall in the last six months. Staff felt that the current post-inpatient fall proforma slightly reduces further falls risk. Factors that staff felt significantly increases the risks of falls were reduced mobility, delirium, falls history and impaired cognition. Factors that staff felt significantly reduces the risk of falls were, identifying patients at risk of falls, measuring lying and standing blood pressure, identifying the level of supervision for patient mobilisation, therapy assessment, initiating geriatric/falls review of high-risk falls patients, medication review, education of patients on avoiding falls and early senior clinician involvement in falls. Most staff felt mostly confident (4) knowing how to reduce the risk of falls and managing falls. Conclusions Most staff are comfortable managing falls. The falls proforma needs further development incorporating areas identified in this study to help reduce inpatient falls.