Assessment of risk and incidence of falls in neurosurgical inpatients

Authors

  • Solange Diccini Federal University of São Paulo
  • Priscila Gomes de Pinho Hospital Sírio Libanês
  • Fabiana Oliveira da Silva Hospital Pirajussara

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692008000400016

Keywords:

accidental falls, nursing, epidemiology, neurosurgery

Abstract

Neurosurgical patients may present motor, sensitive and balance impairment and increased risk of falling. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fall-related risk factors and the incidence of falls in the pre and post-operative period of neurosurgical patients. A prospective cohort study with a research population of patients undergoing elective neurosurgical procedures. Ninety-seven patients took part in the study. Eight (8.2%) have presented falls with a total of 12 falls (12.4%). In two falls (16.7%), bed side rails were down, whereas in six falls (50%), beds had no rails at all. There was no difference among fall-related risk factors during pre and the post-operative periods. We have concluded that most falls could have been prevented through an improvement in the hospital internal structure and with the introduction of a falls prevention program.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2008-08-01

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 4 (2008)

Section

Original Articles

License

RLAE’s authorship concept is based on the substantial contribution by each of the individuals listed as authors, mainly in terms of conceiving and planning the research project, collecting or analyzing and interpreting data, writing and critical review. Indication of authors’ names under the article title is limited to six. If more, authors are listed on the online submission form under Acknowledgements. The possibility of including more than six authors will only be examined on multicenter studies, considering the explanations presented by the authors.
Including names of authors whose contribution does not fit into the above criteria cannot be justified. Those names can be included in the Acknowledgements section.
 Authors are fully responsible for the concepts disseminated in their manuscripts, which do not necessarily reflect the editors’ and editorial board’s opinion.

 

How to Cite

Diccini, S., Pinho, P. G. de, & Silva, F. O. da. (2008). Assessment of risk and incidence of falls in neurosurgical inpatients. Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 16(4), 752-757. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692008000400016