RISK OF FALLS IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS

Abstract

Introduction: The falls in hospitalized patients are associated with negative consequences, being an important problem related to patient safety. Investigating the risk of falling in hospitalized patients is relevant, since it will provide subsidies for the formulation of therapeutic plans for its prevention. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 100 patients in a public reference hospital in the city of Salvador-Bahia. The instrument used to measure this risk was the Morse Fall Scale (MFS), translated and adapted into Portuguese. Results: The mean age of the evaluated patients was 59 years, with a predominance of the female gender. Regarding the reasons for hospitalization, the main cause was neurological problems, followed by postoperative conditions. The mean total MFS score was 46.3; Which indicates a high risk of falls. No statistically significant difference was observed in the Morse total score between the gender variables (female: 47.0 ± 14.5, male: 45.2 ± 18.5, p value: 0.355), age (age <60 46.5 ± 16.4, age ? 60 years: 46.1 ± 16.2, p value: 0.949) and cause of admission (Neurological causes: 44.7 ± 17.1, non-neurological causes: 48.0 ± 15.2, p-value: 0.387). Conclusion: The risk of falling in the sample of individuals evaluated in the hospital environment was moderate to high, which demonstrates the need for preventive interventions by the multiprofessional team for non-occurrence of falls and its associated complications.