Incidence of falls and fall-related characteristics in hospitalized children in South Korea: a descriptive study

Abstract

Purpose With the recent increase in interest in patient safety, prevention of falls in hospitalized children has become important. This study aimed to identify the incidence rate of falls among hospitalized children and explore fall-related characteristics. Methods This retrospective descriptive study analyzed the medical information of 18,119 patients aged 1 year old and those <1 year old, and most cases had no damage or bruises. More cases were found in which falls occurred two days after hospitalization in winter and summer than on the day or the day after hospitalization, which was a statistically significant difference. In addition, fall prevalence was higher between 8 am and 4 pm, and when no caregiver was present. Conclusion Based on the results of this study, education and interventions to prevent fall events in infants and toddlers should persist throughout hospitalization, and it is necessary to guide continuous management and observation of the caregivers.

Keywords

• accidental falls
• child, hospitalized
• incidence