What is an assessment tool used to evaluate fall risk in patients?

• A. Post Fall Assessment
• B. AMPAC
• C. Morse Fall Risk Scale
• D. Barthel Index

Answer: (C)

Assessing fall risk involves using a tool that predicts which patients are most likely to fall so that precautions can be put in place. The Morse Fall Risk Scale is designed for this purpose. It combines six factors commonly linked to falls—history of falling, presence of secondary diagnoses, use of an ambulatory aid, IV therapy, gait, and mental status—and assigns a total score. A higher score indicates greater fall risk, guiding interventions such as using lower beds, keeping the call light within reach, close monitoring, or hourly rounding.

Post Fall Assessment is used after a fall occurs to analyze what happened and prevent recurrence, not to predict risk beforehand. The Barthel Index measures independence in activities of daily living, not fall risk. AMPAC focuses on broader functional status or outcomes, not specifically fall risk. Therefore, the Morse Fall Risk Scale is the best choice for evaluating fall risk.