Patient falls cause pain, disability, prolonged hospital stay and reduced survival, and they can be prevented. 

Despite focused awareness programs and spending, the rates of in-hospital fractures remain stagnant.

In 2010 a team of researchers from Australian Universities received a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to undertake a cluster randomised control trial to test the 6-PACK falls prevention program. 

The 6-PACK was designed and successfully implemented at The Northern Hospital as published in the British Medical Journal of Quality & Safety.

The project will involve approximately 40,000 patients from acute medical and surgical wards in hospitals across Australia and consists of a nurse assessment of patients falls risk using a nine-item tool and six simple nurse delivered interventions.

The 6-PACK trial will assess the:

1. Benefits of the 6-PACK for patients and staff

2. Cost-effectiveness of the 6-PACK to determine if implementation results in cost savings

3. Difficulties encountered by staff when implementing falls prevention programs