• Matthew M Boelig, Michael B Streiff, Deborah B Hobson, Peggy S Kraus, Peter J Pronovost, and Elliott R Haut.
• Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia, USA.
• J Patient Saf. 2011 Jun 1;7(2):77-9.

ObjectivesSequential compression devices (SCDs) help prevent deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in hospitalized patients; however, clinicians often decline to use this therapy because of a perceived increased risk for patient falls. There is limited information regarding the association between the use of SCDs and patient falls. In this study, we analyze if SCD use is a common risk factor for in-hospital falls.MethodsWe used the Patient Safety Net event reporting system at our university-affiliated hospital to retrospectively quantify reports of SCD-related falls over a nearly 5-year period (July 1, 2004, through May 25, 2009). The primary outcome was to determine how often SCD-related falls occurred in relation to SCD patient days. Secondary aims of this study included an assessment of the severity of SCD-related falls, as well as potential risk factors for such falls.ResultsThree thousand five hundred sixty-two total falls were reported during our study period, 16 of which (0.45%) were SCD-related falls. There were 0.063 SCD-related falls per 1000 SCD patient days or 1 fall for every 15,774 SCD patient days. The mean age of patients was 57.8 ± 14.4 years, 69% were male subjects, 81% were on a surgical ward, and 69% occurred while attempting to toilet. Only 2 of the SCD-related falls caused temporary harm that required intervention.ConclusionsSequential compression device use is rarely associated with in-hospital patient falls, and SCD-related falls are not more harmful than other types of falls.

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