Thesis
Evaluation of a Multifactorial Falls Intervention in Regional Acute Hospital Settings
Southern Cross University
Master of Science (MSc), Southern Cross University
2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25918/thesis.324
Metrics
43 Record Views
Abstract
Falls are the most reported patient-safety incident for patients > 65 years in acute hospital settings worldwide. The correct suite of multifactorial falls interventions (MFI) for application in the acute hospital setting is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of MFI with several outcome measures being the number of falls, injurious falls, completion of falls risk screening and assessment and improvement of staff and patient education in 12 regional acute hospital settings within one Local Health District.
The MFI targeted staff, patients, and the environment. To our knowledge, this is the first study that includes the collaboration of the bedside nurse and patient in the design of educational resources and provides staff with the quality improvement (QI) skills to undertake projects targeting falls prevention.
Method
A QI approach using a quasi-experimental, pre-post-test design with a non-equivalent group, was conducted. For patients that had fallen during the pre-post intervention period audit, data was reviewed in the incident management system, and manual review of individual patient progress notes for determine variables related to the fall. MFI were implemented June 2019 and were continued during and beyond the post intervention data collection period.
Results
The number of falls and injurious falls was observed to have reduced (p < 0.001) and patients were 1.2 times less likely to fall (p = 0.038) in this pre-post study. Pre-data collection was undertaken April-June 2019, and post intervention data collection April-June 2021. Patient groups during pre-post intervention were different, however all hospitals, wards, departments, and specialties were unchanged. There was significant improvement in fall assessments (p < 0.001), delirium risk screening (p < 0.001), the provision of falls information (p < 0.001) and documentation of risk at shift handover (p < 0.001) in the post intervention period.
Conclusion
The use of the QI approach was an effective framework to assess the impact of a MFI, which resulted in a reduction in the number of falls and injurious falls. These findings are important because falls continue to have a significant economic impact for hospitals, and we have demonstrated that MFI that includes the staff and patient in its development can reduce falls. This study makes a significant and important contribution to new knowledge because it demonstrated that using a QI approach and MFIs that target the staff, patient and environment may influence a reduction in the number of falls and severity of falls in the acute hospital setting.
Details
- Title
- Evaluation of a Multifactorial Falls Intervention in Regional Acute Hospital Settings
- Creators
- Allison Wallis
- Contributors
- Christina Aggar (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityDeb Louise Massey (Supervisor) - Southern Cross University
- Awarding Institution
- Southern Cross University; Master of Science (MSc)
- Theses
- Master of Science (MSc), Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University
- Number of pages
- xiv, 99
- Identifiers
- 991013153312202368
- Copyright
- © Allison Wallis 2022
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Health
- Resource Type
- Thesis