The Importance of the Morse Fall Risk Assessment Tool in Patient Safety
The Morse fall risk assessment tool estimates a patient’s likelihood of falling based on six key components. This structured tool assigns a score that categorizes patients as low, moderate, or high risk, helping you evaluate fall risks across care settings and develop targeted care strategies. Whether you’re a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or nurse, the Morse Fall Scale offers a clear framework for determining the most appropriate interventions.
Falls are a common concern in patient care and safety, particularly for individuals recovering from surgery or dealing with mobility issues. If the Morse fall risk assessment tool identifies your newly admitted patient as having a high risk for fall, you can quickly adjust the care plan based on this insight to prevent a potential fall and prioritize their safety right from the start.
By utilizing the Morse Fall Scale during key moments in patient care, you can quickly identify when immediate interventions are needed to prevent falls, and adjust your care plans to prioritize patient safety as conditions evolve. Download the Morse Fall Scale PDF below to support proactive care planning and reduce fall risks.
Fill out the form to unlock your free Morse Fall Scale PDF!
Email could not be subscribed.
Thank you for signing up!
Thank you!
Download NowInjuries, extended hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs are just some of the serious outcomes that can result from falls. Each year, fall-related injuries among older adults cost more than $50 billion, with $12 billion of that amount covered by private or out-of-pocket payers.1
In this article, we explore how the Morse fall risk assessment tool works, how it promotes patient safety, and how you can incorporate it into your practice to support proactive care and minimize fall-related risks.
Understanding the Morse fall risk assessment tool
The Morse fall risk assessment tool is designed to give healthcare professionals an efficient way to evaluate fall risks through a simple scoring system. It evaluates six key components: history of falls, secondary diagnosis, use of ambulatory aids, IV therapy, gait, and mental status. Each factor contributes to a patient’s overall fall risk score, classifying them as low, moderate, or high risk.
The six components of the Morse Fall Scale
Each component of the Morse Fall Scale adds a specific number of points to the patient’s total score, helping you determine how urgently interventions are needed. Here’s how the scoring works:
- History of falling – Add 25 points if the patient has previously or immediately fallen.
- Secondary diagnosis – Add 15 points if the patient has more than two medical conditions.
- Ambulatory aid – Add 0 to 30 points, depending on whether the patient is assisted by nurses, uses a cane, or relies on furniture for support.
- IV or IV access – Add 20 points if the patient has an IV or is receiving intravenous fluids.
- Gait status – Add 10 to 20 points, depending on whether the patient’s gait is normal, weak, or impaired.
- Mental status – Add 15 points if the patient overestimates their abilities or experiences confusion.
After calculating the total score, you can determine if the patient requires immediate interventions. For example, a patient using a walker and receiving IV fluids will likely score high, indicating the need for mobility exercises and environmental adjustments to reduce the risk of falling.
Best times to use the Morse fall risk assessment tool
Using the right tool at the right time keeps you one step ahead of potential risks, promoting a proactive approach throughout the patient’s care journey.
- On admission: Establishing a baseline score provides early insight into a patient’s fall risk. If a patient shows signs of instability, you can incorporate mobility exercises, such as strength and balance training, to improve stability right away.
- After patient transfers: Moving between units can introduce new risks. For example, transferring a patient from the ICU to rehabilitation may require new safety measures to support the patient’s changing mobility needs.
- Following a fall event: If a patient falls, the Morse Scale allows you to reassess risks and update the care plan to prevent further incidents. For instance, you might need to increase supervision, involve therapy services to address mobility concerns, or introduce assistive devices to promote safer movement.
- With changes in condition: Adjustments to medications or health status can impact stability. In these situations, reassessing fall risks helps keep the care plan relevant and effective.
How to build safer care plans
Patient safety is a growing concern, especially as fall rates among older adults continue to rise. According to CDC, one in four adults aged 65 or older experiences a fall each year, and about 37 percent of those who fall sustain an injury that requires medical treatment or restricts activity. These injuries contribute to nearly 9 million fall-related incidents annually, driving up healthcare costs and negatively impacting patient outcomes.2
To create safer care plans, it’s necessary to do more than just identify fall risks. We have to tailor interventions for each patient’s needs and regularly review care strategies. The Morse fall risk assessment tool serves as a guide to build these personalized care plans. With information about the patient’s physical condition, cognitive status, and environmental risk factors, you can develop proactive strategies that promote mobility, address environmental risks, and engage patients in long-term fall prevention efforts.
Targeted mobility interventions
The Morse score highlights when a patient’s gait issues or dependence on assistive devices, such as walkers, put them at greater risk of falling. With this insight, you can focus on mobility interventions that restore balance and promote safer movement.
For example, physical therapists can incorporate strength-building activities and balance exercises, such as single-leg stands or tandem walking drills, into the care plan. Over time, these strategies help reduce patients’ reliance on mobility aids and enhance their overall stability.
Environmental modifications
When the Morse score indicates that environmental factors could increase fall risks, making the surroundings safer becomes essential. Adjusting spaces to remove hazards—such as clearing cluttered pathways, leveling uneven flooring, or improving poor lighting—minimizes the chance of accidents.
To expand fall prevention strategies at home and beyond, occupational therapists can assess high-risk areas like bathrooms and stairways. They may recommend practical modifications such as grab bars, non-slip mats, or rearranged furniture to improve safety and support the patient’s independence.
Patient education
Identifying high-risk patients is only the first step—equipping them and their families with the knowledge to prevent falls is equally important. By involving families in the education process, you can reinforce safety practices, ensuring consistency across both care settings and at home.
To promote fall prevention, you can collaborate with patients and caregivers to establish safer daily routines, encouraging behaviors like using call buttons for help, wearing non-slip footwear, and maintaining clear walking paths. And if a fall does happen, our patient education library is filled with valuable resources on how to recover safely, such as the How to Get Up After a Fall video, which you can watch below.
Continuous monitoring and follow-up
Tracking changes in the patient’s condition over time allows you to modify care plans based on evolving needs. Regular reassessments using the Morse fall risk tool ensure that emerging risks are identified early, and interventions can be adjusted as needed. This ongoing attention to detail helps prevent unexpected falls by keeping care strategies relevant and responsive.
Improved interdisciplinary collaboration
The Morse tool provides a shared framework that promotes effective communication among care teams, ensuring that interventions are aligned. With each team member working from the same assessment, care becomes more cohesive and well-coordinated. This collaborative approach ensures that physical, cognitive, and environmental factors are addressed, resulting in a comprehensive safety plan tailored to the patient’s unique needs.
Support patient safety and reduce fall risks
The Morse fall risk assessment tool goes beyond simply identifying risks—it equips you and your healthcare team to create adaptive patient-centered care plans. By guiding a timely intervention, this tool can help reduce fall-related injuries, improve patient outcomes, and enhance the quality of care. Download our Morse Fall Scale PDF and keep this essential resource at your fingertips to support patient safety and fall prevention efforts.
References
