The tool used to assess fall risk in hospitalized patients is the:

• A. Braden Scale
• B. Glasgow Coma Scale
• C. Barthel Index
• D. Morse Fall Scale

Answer: (D)

Assessing fall risk in hospitalized patients relies on a quick, validated bedside tool that combines several risk factors into a single score. The Morse Fall Scale fits this need because it specifically evaluates factors linked to falls—history of previous falls, presence of secondary diagnoses, need for ambulatory aids, IV lines, gait, and mental status—and then sums them to categorize patients into low, moderate, or high fall risk. This makes it practical for guiding safety interventions, such as keeping side rails up, using bed alarms, ensuring non-slip footwear, and supervision for high-risk patients. In contrast, the Braden Scale is used to assess risk for pressure ulcers, not falls; the Glasgow Coma Scale measures level of consciousness, not fall risk per se; and the Barthel Index assesses independence in activities of daily living, which is related to function but not a specific fall-risk screening tool in the acute hospital setting. Therefore, the Morse Fall Scale is the tool most appropriate for fall risk assessment in hospitalized patients.