The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety-July 2010 Volume 36 number 7 Monson S. A.
Newborns experience in-hospital falls at a rate of approximately 1.6-4,14/10,000 live births, resulting in an estimated 600-1600 falls per year in the United States.
Additional reports of rates of newborn falls are urgently needed to determine the true prevalence of this historically underreported event. We are implementing several strategies in our attempt to eliminate the risk of harm to newborns during their initial hospitalization and will continue to measure the rates of falls to see if we have been able to decrease their incidence.
Standardized evaluation and management guidelines need to be developed to aid the clinician in the appropriate care of newborns experiencing this infrequent event. We call on others to measure their rate of newborn falls and work with us to call for the development of safer mother /baby beds in our hospitals.
