On Wednesday 15^th December 2021 the new Modified Stratify Falls Risk Assessment went live in the EMR, replacing the previous falls risk assessment tool.

The new Modified Stratify Falls Risk Assessment helps to identify the elements influencing each patient’s risk of falls and provides the user with suggested actions to implement specific to the identified risk factor. This includes targeted patient communication and education.

For example: Does your patient speak a language other than English? Book an interpreter to discuss their fall risk factors and provide education.  Research tells us that by simply talking to our patients and their families about their specific fall risk factors, and discussing strategies to reduce their risk, is a very effective falls prevention tool.

The key actions for Nursing staff to follow are:

• The Modified Stratify Falls Risk Assessment is to be completed within 4 hours of admission to a ward and then daily thereafter. This is to evaluate if the patient’s condition has changed and if the nominated prevention strategies are still relevant/appropriate.
• The Falls Risk Assessment is to be reviewed and acknowledged as accurate by nurses on the PM and ND shifts.
• Strategies, referrals  and interventions still need to be ordered and/or added to the Comprehensive Care IPOC
• The Falls Risk Assessment is to be reassessed post an inpatient fall as per WH PPG
• The remainder of the Adult Risk Assessment must continue to be completed each shift

The Modified Stratify Falls Risk Assessment will be valuable in helping to educate our patients about their specific falls risk factors and the strategies being implemented to reduce their risk.

Greater quality of information around the level of risk and proposed actions may also assist when following up with referrals and multi-disciplinary communication around falls risks.

For further information please contact Rebecca Woltsche​,  ADONM Improving Care – Rebecca.Woltsche@wh.org.au