Table 3.

Circumstances of First Falls (N = 183)

Descriptors	n (%)
Location
Patient room	155 (84.7)
Patient bathroom	20 (10.9)
Other*	8 (4.4)
Time of day
7:00 AM−6:59 PM	76 (41.5)
7:00 PM−6:59 AM	107 (58.5)
Discovery type
Found on floor	140 (76.5)
Witnessed	35 (19.1)
Self-reported	8 (4.4)
Assist type at time of fall
Unassisted	145 (79.2)
Assist by employee, visitor, or device	15 (8.2)
Unknown	23 (12.6)
Fall type
Collapsed	62 (33.9)
Slid to floor	42 (23.0)
Fell from height	12 (6.6)
Unknown	67 (36.6)
Fall mechanism
Lost balance	22 (12.0)
Slipped or tripped	18 (9.8)
Dizziness or fainted	14 (7.7)
Muscle weakness	9 (4.9)
Hip, leg, or knee gave out	8 (4.4)
Used bad support	7 (3.8)
Other†	6 (3.3)
Asleep or sedated	2 (1.1)
Unknown	97 (53.0)
Activity at time of fall
Ambulating	35 (19.1)
Getting out of bed	20 (10.9)
Sitting down or standing up	17 (9.3)
Using bedside commode	4 (2.2)
Using toilet	4 (2.2)
Standing or sitting (not trying other action)	7 (3.8)
Reaching for object	6 (3.3)
Sleeping or repositioning in bed	4 (2.2)
Getting into bed	2 (1.1)
Using bathtub	1 (0.5)
Dressing or undressing	1 (0.5)
Unknown	61 (33.3)
Reason for activity
Definitely elimination related‡	92 (50.3)
Not elimination related	46 (25.1)
Unknown	45 (24.6)
Intervention ordered and/or in place
Special room§	11 (6.0)
Restraints	8 (4.4)
Sitter	8 (4.4)
Toileting schedule	3 (1.6)
Bed exit alarm	3 (1.6)
Special bed: veil or low-boy	1 (0.5)

^*Hallway (3), nurses station (2), exam room (1), elevator (1), sidewalk (1).

^†Rolled out of bed, prosthesis gave out, missed chair, intentional fall, slid out of chair, forgot paraplegia, stiff muscles.

^‡Defined as fall occurring during an activity involving elimination (e.g., ambulation to/from bathroom, reaching for toilet tissue from bedside commode, exiting a soiled bed, etc.).

^§Close to nurses’ station or video surveillance.