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After being hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU), patients typically have several risk factors for serious falls, including fatigue, bone loss, weakness, and frailty. In this study involving 100 patients (mean age, 59) who were in an ICU for at least 4 days and required mechanical ventilation, researchers prospectively monitored the incidence of posthospitalization falls using fall diaries. Patients were assessed for sensorimotor, physical, and psychological function and for balance at the time of hospital discharge. Mean ICU stay was 8 days, and mean overall hospital stay was 25 days.
During 12 months of follow-up, 360 falls were recorded, of which 44 caused moderate-to-serious injuries. Thirty-seven patients did not fall, 48 fell a…