Unanticipated Physiological Falls are associated with intrinsic factors that could not have reasonably been predicted, such as: stroke, heart attack, seizure, etc (Morse, 2009).

polypharmacy, 4) history of falls, 5) elimination dysfunction. 1) sensory impairment 2) impaired: balance, gait, mobility, 3) impaired cognition/confusion e.g. Anticipated Physiological Falls are attributed to risks intrinsic to the patient's physical status e.g.Accidental Falls are attributed to extrinsic environmental risk factors or hazards: spills on the floor, clutter, tubing/cords on the floor, etc., or errors in judgment.The VA excludes falls from violent blows or other purposeful actions. The VA National Center for Patient Safety defines falls in the following manner:Ī loss of upright position that results in landing on the floor, ground or an object or furniture or a sudden, uncontrolled, unintentional, non-purposeful, downward displacement of the body to the floor/ground or hitting another object like a chair or stair (Neily et al, 2015). Fall-related injuries may be fatal or non-fatal (WHO, 2018). Some fall definitions are succinct such as an event which results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level. Here is their definition of a fall event:įall event – Fall resulting in any of the following: any fracture surgery, casting, or traction required consult/management or comfort care for a neurological (for example, skull fracture, subdural or intracranial hemorrhage) or internal (for example, rib fracture, small liver laceration) injury or a patient with coagulopathy who receives blood products as a result of the fall death or permanent harm as a result of injuries sustained from the fall (not from physiologic events causing the fall). The Joint Commission, as of January 1, 2021, will include a definition for fall events in its Sentinel Event Policy, to help staff in health care facilities determine if a fall should be reviewed as a sentinel event. Untitled Document Fall Definitions and Categories:

Sentinel event definition jcaho