Reducing Falls and Fall-Related Injuries in Medical-Surgical Units: One-Year Multihospital Falls Collaborative

Patient Perception of Fall Risk and Fall Risk Screening Scores

BACKGROUND

Falls are the most prevalent adverse event among hospitalized patients. Multilevel risk factors are associated with falls, yet falls continue.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the relationship between the Johns Hopkins Fall Risk instrument, patient characteristics, and perception of fall risk.

METHODS

The Johns Hopkins Fall Risk score, patient perception of fall risk, and patient characteristics were analyzed among inpatient adults (n = 201) from 5 acute care units in a large southern California medical center.

RESULTS

Bivariate analyses revealed that fall risk was inversely associated with participants' confidence in their ability to perform high fall risk behaviors without help and without falling ( P = .018).

CONCLUSIONS

Perception of fall risk is a promising new indicator in preventing falls. Patient perception of fall risk may elicit a behavior change to help prevent falls. Increased health care provider awareness of patient perception of fall risk may improve fall risk interventions and prevention programs.

Impact of Nurses' Intervention in the Prevention of Falls in Hospitalized Patients

Background: Clinical safety is a crucial component of healthcare quality, focused on identifying and avoiding the risks to which patients are exposed. Among the adverse events that occur in a hospital environment, falls have a large impact (1.9–10% of annual income in acute care hospitals); they can cause pain, damage, costs, and mistrust in the health system. Our objective was to assess the effect of an educational intervention aimed at hospital nurses (systematic assessment of the risk of falls) in reducing the incidence of falls. Methods: this was a quasi-experimental study based on a sample of 581 patients in a third level hospital (Comunitat Valenciana, Spain). An educational program was given to the intervention group (n = 303), and a control group was included for comparison (n = 278). In the intervention group, the nurses participated in a training activity on the systematized assessment of the risk of falls. Analysis was undertaken using the Bayesian logistic regression model. Results: a total of 581 patients were studied (50.6% male, 49.4% female), with an average age of 68.3 (DT = 9) years. The overall incidence of falls was 1.2% (0.3% in the intervention group and 2.2% in the control group). Most of the falls occurred in people ≥65 years old (85.7%). The intervention group had a lower probability of falling than the control group (OR: 0.127; IC95%: 0.013–0.821). Neither the length of hospital stay, nor the age of the participants, had any relevant effect. Conclusions: the systematic assessment of the risk of a patient falling during hospital processes is an effective intervention to reduce the incidence of falls.

Interventions to prevent in-hospital falls in older people with cognitive impairment for further research: A mixed studies review

BACKGROUND

While advances in falls prevention in the adult population have occurred, the care requirements for older patients with cognitive impairment at risk of falling are less established.

OBJECTIVES

To identify interventions to prevent in-hospital falls in older patients with cognitive impairment for further research and describe the strategies used to implement those interventions.

DESIGN

A seven-stage mixed studies review was used.

METHODS

Seven electronic databases were searched. The SPIDER framework guided the review question and selection of search terms. The Mixed Methods Assessment Tool was used to appraise the quality of research studies, and the Quality Improvement Minimum Quality Data Set was used to appraise the quality of quality improvement projects. A convergent qualitative synthesis was used to analyse the extracted data. The adapted PRISMA guideline informed the procedures.

RESULTS

Ten projects (five quality improvements and five researches) were included. Five themes emerged from the synthesis: engaging with families in falls prevention, assessing falls risk to identify interventions, extending nursing observation through technology, conducting a medication review and initiating nonpharmacological delirium prevention interventions. Implementation was not well described and commonly focused on capital investment to initiate a falls prevention programme and education to introduce staff to the new techniques for practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Emerging research and quality improvement studies demonstrate that effective falls prevention with this vulnerable population is possible but requires further investigation before widespread practice recommendations can be made. Further research and quality improvement in this area should consider adoption of an implementation framework to address sustainability.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Reducing falls in older people with cognitive impairment requires nurses to work more closely with pharmacists, occupational therapists and social workers to develop strategies that work and are sustainable.

CE: Original Research: Exploring Clinicians' Perceptions About Sustaining an Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Program

: Purpose: This study aimed to address the knowledge gap between implementing and sustaining evidence-based fall prevention practices for hospitalized patients by exploring perspectives of the interprofessional health care team.

DESIGN

A qualitative design was used to capture insights from clinicians across disciplines in a large midwestern academic medical center.

METHODS

Four homogenous semistructured focus groups and three individual interviews involving a total of 20 clinicians were conducted between October 2013 and March 2014. Audio-recorded data were transcribed and analyzed using inductive qualitative analysis.

FINDINGS

Two primary themes emerged from participants regarding the sustainability of an evidence-based fall prevention program: communication patterns within the interprofessional health care team and influences of hospital organizational practices and elements. Several subthemes also emerged. Participants gave nursing staff primary responsibility for fall risk assessment and prevention.

CONCLUSIONS

Individual professional perceptions and practices, as well as organizational characteristics, affect the sustainability of evidence-based fall prevention practices. While all team members recognized patient falls as a significant quality and safety issue, most believed that direct care nurses hold primary responsibility for leading fall prevention efforts. The data support the importance of effective interprofessional team communication and organizational practices in sustaining an evidence-based fall prevention program across inpatient units. Furthermore, the data call into question the wisdom in labeling quality indicators as "nursing sensitive"; the evidence indicates that a team approach is best.

Reducing medical-surgical inpatient falls and injuries with videos, icons and alarms

Background

Inpatient falls and subsequent injuries are among the most common hospital-acquired conditions with few effective prevention methods.

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of patient education videos and fall prevention visual signalling icons when added to bed exit alarms in improving acutely hospitalised medical-surgical inpatient fall and injury rates.

Design

Performance improvement study with historic control.

Setting

Four medical-surgical units in one US public acute care hospital.

Study participants

Adult medical-surgical inpatients units.

Interventions

A 4 min video was shown to patients by trained volunteers. Icons of individual patient risk factors and interventions were placed at patients’ bedsides. Beds with integrated three-mode sensitivity exit alarms were activated for confused patients at risk of falling.

Main outcome measures

The main outcome measure is the incident rate per 1000 patient days (PDs) for patient falls, falls with any injury and falls with serious injury. The incident rate ratio (IRR) for each measure compared January 2009–September 2010 (baseline) with the follow-up period of January 2015–December 2015 (intervention).

Results

Falls decreased 20% from 4.78 to 3.80 per 1000 PDs (IRR 0.80, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.96); falls with any injury decreased 40% from 1.01 to 0.61 per 1000 PDs (IRR 0.60, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.94); and falls with serious injury 85% from 0.159 to 0.023 per 1000 PDs (IRR 0.15, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.85). Icons were not fully implemented.

Conclusion

The first known significant reduction of falls, falls with injury and falls with serious injury among medical-surgical inpatients was achieved. Patient education and continued use of bed exit alarms were associated with large decreases in injury. Icons require further testing. Multicentre randomised controlled trials are needed to confirm the effectiveness of icons and video interventions and exit alarms.

Development and Psychometric Analysis of a Nurses' Attitudes and Skills Safety Scale: Initial Results

Health care organizations have incorporated updated safety principles in the analysis of errors and in norms and standards. Yet no research exists that assesses bedside nurses' perceived skills or attitudes toward updated safety concepts. The aims of this study were to develop a scale assessing nurses' perceived skills and attitudes toward updated safety concepts, determine content validity, and examine internal consistency of the scale and subscales. Understanding nurses' perceived skills and attitudes about safety concepts can be used in targeting strategies to enhance their safety practices.

Geriatric falls in the context of a hospital fall prevention program: delirium, low body mass index, and other risk factors

BACKGROUND

Inpatient geriatric falls are a frequent complication of hospital care that results in significant morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate factors associated with falls in geriatric inpatients after implementation of the fall prevention program.

METHODS

Prospective observational study comprised of 788 consecutive patients aged 79.5±7.6 years ( [Formula: see text] ± standard deviation) (66% women and 34% men) admitted to the subacute geriatric ward. Comprehensive geriatric assessment (including Mini-Mental State Examination, Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living, and modified Get-up and Go Test) was performed. Confusion Assessment Method was used for diagnosis of delirium. Patients were categorized into low, moderate, or high fall risk groups after clinical and functional assessment.

RESULTS

About 15.9%, 21.1%, and 63.1% of participants were classified into low, moderate, and high fall risk groups, respectively. Twenty-seven falls were recorded in 26 patients. Increased fall probability was associated with age ≥76 years (P<0.001), body mass index (BMI) <23.5 (P=0.007), Mini-Mental State Examination <20 (P=0.004), Barthel Index <65 (P=0.002), hemoglobin <7.69 mmol/L (P=0.017), serum protein <70 g/L (P=0.008), albumin <32 g/L (P=0.001), and calcium level <2.27 mmol/L. Four independent factors associated with fall risk were included in the multivariate logistic regression model: delirium (odds ratio [OR] =7.33; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] =2.76-19.49; P<0.001), history of falls (OR =2.55; 95% CI =1.05-6.19; P=0.039), age (OR =1.14; 95% CI =1.05-1.23; P=0.001), and BMI (OR =0.91; 95% CI =0.83-0.99; P=0.034).

CONCLUSION

Delirium, history of falls, and advanced age seem to be the primary risk factors for geriatric falls in the context of a hospital fall prevention program. Higher BMI appears to be associated with protection against inpatient geriatric falls.

The Baptist Health High-Risk Falls Assessment: One Assessment Fits All

Assessing high risk for falling among psychiatric inpatients is particularly challenging in that assessments with strong sensitivity and specificity are not available. The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio of the Baptist Health High Risk Falls Assessment (BHHRFA), a medical-surgical fall risk assessment, in a psychiatric inpatient population. Data collected on 5910 psychiatric inpatients using the BHHRFA showed acceptable sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (0.68/0.70/4.964).

Sociotechnical probabilistic risk modeling to predict injurious falls in community living centers

The goal of this study was to apply sociotechnical probabilistic risk assessment to prioritize risks and prevention strategies for serious injurious falls of residents in nursing homes. Risk modeling teams consisted of 26 clinical and nonclinical staff from three Department of Veterans Affairs community living centers and one state Veteran's nursing home. Participants met in groups several times to identify and assign probabilities to provider and resident at-risk behaviors and equipment failures. They identified prevention strategies for the failures that accounted for the highest levels of risk. Six scenarios were modeled: (1) transferring from bed to wheelchair, (2) propelling from bedside to bathroom, (3) transferring from wheelchair to toilet, (4) transferring from toilet to wheelchair, (5) propelling from bathroom to bedside, and (6) transferring from wheelchair to bed. The greatest paths of risk were for residents with impaired mobility and high fragility. A 26% reduction in injurious falls could be achieved by (1) reducing the number of unassisted transfers through a modest improvement in response time to alarms, (2) installing automatic brake locks on 90% of wheelchairs, (3) making the wheelchair maintenance process highly reliable, and (4) decreasing improper transfer techniques by 10%.