Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Hospital patients are at an increased risk of falls, which are a significant safety concern within healthcare settings.(1) Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced fall risks is essential for identifying key factors that could inform future fall prevention strategies.(2) This scoping review aims to explore the barriers and challenges associated with preventing inpatient falls in the context of the post-COVID-19 environment. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The methodology for this scoping review follows the framework established by Arksey and O'Malley. A comprehensive literature search will be conducted using specific keywords to identify relevant published studies. Searches will be performed across selected electronic databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, ProQuest and Web of Science, covering publications from 2014 to 2024. This review will focus on a global perspective. Two authors will independently screen titles and abstracts to identify potential studies for inclusion. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria will be retrieved for full-text review, and their references will be assessed for relevance using the same criteria. The PRISMA flow diagram will guide the review process. Data will be extracted, analysed and charted according to categories from the selected publications. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This scoping review will provide a comprehensive overview of the barriers and challenges in preventing inpatient falls in the post-pandemic context. The findings will be disseminated through submission for publication in a scientific journal. REGISTRATION DETAILS: This scoping review protocol is registered with Open Science Framework (OSF) available at https://osf.io/.