We aimed to develop a new scale for evaluating risks and preventive measures for in-hospital falls of newborn infants, from admission to discharge of the expectant mother. Our study was prepared in accordance with Failure Modes and Effects Analysis criteria. The risks and preventive measures for in-hospital falls of newborns were determined. Risk Priority Numbers (RPNs) were determined by multiplication of the scores of severity, probability of occurrence, and probability of detection. Analyses showed that risks having the highest RPNs were the mother with epidural anesthesia (RPN: 350 point), holding of the baby at the moment of delivery (RPN: 240), and transportation of baby right after delivery (RPN: 240). A reduction was detected in all RPNs after the application of preventive measures. Our risk model can function as a guide for obstetric clinics that need to form strategies to prevent newborn falls. 1. Introduction Operative and vaginal deliveries are among the most commonly performed procedures in hospitals. However, they have a lot of risks, and one may encounter some unpredictable and undesired complications at delivery. The risks for a newborn, including the risks for falling, start with the onset of labor. Falling incidents are particularly encountered at overcrowded delivery and education hospitals, and trauma incidents resulting from falling occur but unfortunately not put on the record. There are a limited number of publications in the literature regarding traumas resulting from in-hospital falls of newborns but there is no scale evaluating the risks and risk reduction measures [1–3]. In a previous study, 14 trauma cases were reported among 888774 deliveries. Trauma incidents of newborn babies resulting from falling were found to be 1.6 per 10.000. Seven of these incidents occurred when the mother holding the infant in a hospital bed or reclining chair fell asleep. Four of the cases occurred in the delivery room, 2 in the hallway while a nurse was wheeling a bassinette, and 1 from an infant swing. No deaths were reported. One patient sustained a depressed skull fracture and was transported to the regional children’s hospital [1]. As a part of health care quality and insurance preoccupations some scoring systems have been developed for adult patients [4–7]. The first studies about falling risk were conducted by Morse and Hendrich [5–7], and after that different scoring systems and comparisons of their efficacy have been reported [4, 8–10]. Unfortunately, there are no scoring systems evaluating falls risk in children [11]. Our hospital has
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