Naslov
An Overview of Fall Prevention Strategies Among Adult Patients in Hospital Settings

Autori
Jurišković, Mladen ; Smrekar, Martina

Izvornik
Croatian nursing journal (2584-5659) 4 (2020), 2; 205-217

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, pregledni rad, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
falls ; fall prevention strategies ; intervention ; patient ; nurses

Sažetak
Falls present a major challenge for health care systems: they correlate with poor patient outcomes, extend the length of hospitalization, and increase overall medical expenditure. According to existing literature, risk factors for the occurrence of falls include the male gender, urinary incontinence, muscle weakness, agitation or confusion, and dementia. Studies have shown that the combined practice of identifying risk factors and implementing appropriate fall prevention interventions leads to a reduction in the incidence of falls among hospital patients. As the largest group of health professionals committed to providing high-quality care, nurses play an important role in preventing falls among patient populations. In order to prevent falls and maintain patient safety, it is important to identify the most effective strategies for fall prevention. This study presents an overview of previously published strategies and intervention practices on fall prevention in hospital settings around the world. The most common interventions include fall risk assessment, environment/equipment modifications, patient education/family education on fall prevention interventions, staff education on fall reporting and fall prevention, fall risk alerts, medication management, physical fitness of patients, assistance with transfer and toileting and effective team communication and leadership. Ultimately, it is incumbent upon nurses, other health-care professionals and the entire hospital system to develop effective strategies in order to prevent falls among hospitalised patients.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biotehnologija u biomedicini (prirodno područje, biomedicina i zdravstvo, biotehničko područje)

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