Western Health is implementing several important enhancements to falls documentation within the EMR to improve multidisciplinary communication, strengthen compliance with post-fall monitoring requirements, and align with updated national guidelines. These changes are scheduled for release in late November 2025.
Updated Falls Risk Assessment Criteria
To reflect the new Australian Falls Prevention guidelines, the age-related risk factor in the Modified Stratify Falls Risk Assessment tool has been updated from Aged over 80 years to Aged > 65 years or First Nations > 50 years.
Additionally, the copy-and-paste function will be disabled for all core risk assessments to support improved assessment and documentation quality.
New Falls Chapter in iView
A dedicated ‘Falls’ Navigator Band will be available in Interactive View (iView), improving visibility of falls documentation for the entire multidisciplinary team, without requiring changes to existing nursing workflow. Patient information can still be entered via Adult Risk Assessments or via the new Falls Navigator band, and will display:
- Falls Risk Assessment (Modified Stratify)
- Delirium and 4AT cognition screening
- Post Fall documentation
Following a fall, staff can complete the required assessments via the falls navigator band or via Adult Systems Assessment band. Note: Staff will need to customise their view to pull this new fall navigator band forwards, and a QRG will become available to support this.
New Post Fall Nursing Orderset
Following a fall, nursing staff will be required to order a Post Fall Nursing Orderset from Orders & Referrals. This automatically:
- Drops Vital Signs and Neuro Observation orders at the time intervals required in the WH post fall management guidelines
- Supports nurses/midwives to adhere to best practice monitoring guidelines post patient fall
A short video demonstrating this function will be available for staff prior to go live. The post fall IPOC will be removed.
Enhanced Post Fall Documentation in iView
New and revised documentation fields have been added to ensure:
- Accurate incident detail entry
- Mandatory documentation of Post Fall Safety Huddle
- Improved communication of post fall medical review, injury status, and prevention strategies
Note: whilst we continue working towards multiple enhancements to nursing documentation in the EMR, the Comprehensive Care IPOC will remain as the nursing care plan until further notice.
Quick Summary: Post Fall Workflow
- Assess DRSABCDE & escalate for medical review
- Initiate Post Fall Nursing Orderset
- Repeat falls and delirium risk assessments (either via falls band or adults risk assessments)
- Conduct Post Fall Safety Huddle with team & patient
- Update patient care plan with revised strategies
- Complete outstanding care tasks/orders
- HMO or NIC notify family/carer
- Document incident in RiskMan
- Complete Post Falls Section in iView
- Include reference to patient fall in shift note.