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Monday, November 2, 2009: 2:40 PM
Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to learn about falls and it´s causes in an acute Coimbra hospital and also the strategies implemented in the wards.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to discuss and reflect about falls in hospitals by talking of their own knowledge and experience.
Falls within patients depend of physiological, cognitive, psychological factors, among others (Wilson, E. B., 1998) and according with the international studies falls are frequent in hospitals with harmful consequences that affects patients’ health and welfare (Wilson, E.B., 1998; Bernick, L.; Bretholz, I., 1999; Edelberg, H.R., 2001). Therefore, nurses should encourage positive practice environments to accomplish patients’ safety. Due to no existence of data in Portugal a study was carried out in a Coimbra acute hospital.
Aims: Evaluate the prevalence of falls, identify possible causes, discuss with nursing teams strategies to prevent and diminish falls in the wards.
Method: It’s a quantitative and descriptive research that involves 2883 inpatients. A questionnaire called “falls in hospital environment” (Mendes, A.; Abreu, C., 2006) was used from 1st of January to 31st of December 2007 filled by nurses of the wards. Meetings were done with nurses to discuss strategies to be implemented in the wards in order to prevent falls.
Results: 30 falls occurred between the ages of 60-85. 13 patients were total dependent, 12 partial dependent and 5 independent. 13 falls happened in morning shifts followed by 9 at night and 8 during the afternoon. 22 occurred near the bed followed by 6 in the bathroom. 1 when getting out of bed and 1 on the wards corridor. 20 patients had physiological background, 8 were accidental falls, 1 without physiological background and 1 with other disease. Causes were due to agitation, disorientation and confusion.
Conclusion: Our results of falls between the ages of 60-85 confirm the literature. Although the majority of falls are dependent, 5 occurred as independent due to environmental factors. In sum, it’s important to do some innovation in clinical practice such as having more team work, more vigilance, changing environment, raising bedrails (…), working towards prevention to increment patients’ safety.
Aims: Evaluate the prevalence of falls, identify possible causes, discuss with nursing teams strategies to prevent and diminish falls in the wards.
Method: It’s a quantitative and descriptive research that involves 2883 inpatients. A questionnaire called “falls in hospital environment” (Mendes, A.; Abreu, C., 2006) was used from 1st of January to 31st of December 2007 filled by nurses of the wards. Meetings were done with nurses to discuss strategies to be implemented in the wards in order to prevent falls.
Results: 30 falls occurred between the ages of 60-85. 13 patients were total dependent, 12 partial dependent and 5 independent. 13 falls happened in morning shifts followed by 9 at night and 8 during the afternoon. 22 occurred near the bed followed by 6 in the bathroom. 1 when getting out of bed and 1 on the wards corridor. 20 patients had physiological background, 8 were accidental falls, 1 without physiological background and 1 with other disease. Causes were due to agitation, disorientation and confusion.
Conclusion: Our results of falls between the ages of 60-85 confirm the literature. Although the majority of falls are dependent, 5 occurred as independent due to environmental factors. In sum, it’s important to do some innovation in clinical practice such as having more team work, more vigilance, changing environment, raising bedrails (…), working towards prevention to increment patients’ safety.