Validated Fall Risk Assessments

The hospital I work at is currently using the Heinrich falls assessment tool. The RNs on our psych unit do not feel this tool is appropriate for a psych unit. I would also be open to hearing from others about a good falls risk assessment tool for a psych unit.

We use Heindrich as well but agree its not appropriate for acute psych but have not been able to find a replacement. All patients score as a risk for the mere indicator of depression with Heindrich. Please let me know if anyone else has found an alternative

I am not a psych nurse. I work acute care med/surg in a rural hospital. We have gone to computer charting. One of the interventions is fall risk, but we do not have a screening tool for this.

I have found two different screening tools, but have not found the heinrich screening tool.

Any info would be helpful.

thanks

nora

This seems to be a popular problem right now. I work on pediatric psych unit and need to come up with a more realistic tool but can't seem to find one. I posted a week or so on this topic and got a reply from someone saying they have one but they are unsure if it will apply. If I hear anything more from them I will reply on this thread also. Good Luck!

I am a Psychiatric RN working at Oaklawn Hospital in Marshall Michigan. We have devoloped a psychchiatric fall risk assessment tool. The "WilsonSims" assessment tool. It is easy to use and we belive it was helpfull in cutting the fall rate on our unit by 50%. We are currently working on having it valadated. Interest in use at another hospital inpatient psych unit is welcome. Feel free to contact me for more info.

Steve

We use the Heindric too. It says our patients are at risk for falling if they have PRN MoM ordered. >____