A fall is any unintentional change in position where the resident ends up on the floor, ground or other lower level (Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) RAI-MDS 2.0 User’s Manual, Canadian Institute for Health Information, September 2010). Includes witnessed and un-witnessed falls Includes if resident falls onto a mattress placed on the floor Includes whether there is an injury or not.
A near fall/near miss is a sudden loss of balance that does not result in a fall or other injury. This can include a person who slips or trips that does not result in a fall or other injury. This can include a person who slips, stumbles or trips but is able to regain control prior to falling.
An un-witnessed fall occurs when a resident is found on the floor and neither the resident nor anyone else knows how he or she got there.
Serious Injury includes: fractures, laceration-requiring sutures, and any injury requiring asse