LAUSR

I 2005, the Joint Commission developed a patient-safety goal requiring hospitals to develop fall prevention programs for patients regardless of age.1 With this requirement, pediatric patients were not exempt from screening, assessment of risk, or having interventions implemented to minimize their risk for falls. Since that time, pediatric nurses have been looking for the best evidence to meet this goal. However, limited literature exists in this area and there are few population-based analyses on which to base prevention initiatives.2 Further, few published reports exist in which fall-risk tool validation in the pediatric population is discussed.3 To our knowledge, no research studies have been published on pediatric falls in the outpatient setting, effectiveness of fall prevention interventions in pediatric patients, or how injuries from falls can be prevented in the inpatient or outpatient setting.2 This Pediatric Perspectives column describes some of the available tools for pediatric use and explores the unique challenges experienced when addressing falls in pediatric settings.