A retrospective study of patient falls in a psychiatric hospital.

1. While falls on medical-surgical units are the focus of extensive research, falls on inpatient psychiatric units are an understudied critical event. 2. The purposes of this study were to identify the variables associated with psychiatric patient falls and to use that information to assess risk and, therefore, prevent falls in this population. 3. The psychiatric patient at risk for falling is described as a woman with a prior history of falls; less than 65 years of age; experiencing anxiety and agitation; and receiving a sedative, a tranquilizer, and a laxative. Additionally, this patient is more likely to fall in a community area.