Abstract
Background: Falls are widely recognized to seriously impact patient health.1,2 The World Health Organization (WHO) reports over 37 million falls occur globally every year; a phenomenon that persists despite decades’ long focus on prevention.3 To achieve desired outcomes, experts call for patient-centered care and active commitment of the entire care team.4,5 Thus, patients maturing as informed consumers and drivers of their own health should be recognized for their role in pursuing safety. Limited research exists that examines specific methodologies in cultivating a patient-driven approach to fall prevention.
Purpose: This purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of an individualized, patient-focused fall prevention education initiative on patients’ perceived fall risks, knowledge of risk reduction strategies, and adherence to fall prevention plans during the first 72 hours of admission to an acute care inpatient unit.
Methods: A mixed method, quasi-experimental pre-/post-test design was used to survey and educate a convenience sample of 32 adult inpatients at an urban, Level I Trauma Center. Individualized instruction derived from nursing assessment and patient reports of fall risk, fear of falling, perception of safe behaviors, and knowledge of risk factors. Post-survey occurred 24 to 48 hours later, repeating these elements and adding exploration into adherence to prevention strategies. Data was analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank testing, Spearman’s rho, and thematic analysis.
Results: Nurse-patient alignment of perceived fall risk (i.e., low/low, high/high) demonstrated a statistically significant increase from 21.87% pre-intervention to 78.13% post (p = 0.0002). Participants exhibited high overall understanding of factors that increase risk for falls but did not often attribute these risks to themselves. Lastly, 75% of patients who qualified for bed/chair alarms were non-compliant with the strategy.
Implications for Practice/Conclusion: Results suggest application of patient perspectives to drive tailored educational programming can increase patients’ awareness to and accuracy of perceived fall risk. Shaping human behavior and decision making requires detailed understanding of personal motivations and perceptions. Research should extend translation of risk perception to adoption of safe behaviors.
Notes
References:
1. Centers for Disease Control. (2024). Older adult falls data. https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/index.html
2. James, S., Lucchesi, L., Bisignano, C., Castle, C., Dingels, Z., Fox, J., Hamilton, E., Henry, N., Krohn, K., Liu, Z., McCracken, D., Nixon, M., Roberts, N., Sylte, D., Adsuar, J., Arora, A., Briggs, A., Collado-Mateo, D., Cooper, C.…Murray, C. (2020). The global burden of falls: Global, regional and national estimates of morbidity and mortality from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Injury Prevention, 26, i3-i11. https://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2019-043286
3. World Health Organization. (2021). Falls. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/falls
4. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2022). Six domains of health care quality. https://www.ahrq.gov/talkingquality/measures/six-domains.html
5. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2023). Preventing falls in hospitals. https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/settings/hospital/fall-prevention/toolkit/index.html
Sigma Membership
Delta Upsilon at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quasi-Experimental Study, Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Teaching and Learning Strategies, Acute Care, Falls, Fall Prevention
Recommended Citation
Perry, Ashley E.; Walsh, Joan M.; and Misto, Kara, "Patient-Centered Fall Prevention: A Quasi-Experimental Approach to Hospital Education Programming" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 54.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/54
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Patient-Centered Fall Prevention: A Quasi-Experimental Approach to Hospital Education Programming
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: Falls are widely recognized to seriously impact patient health.1,2 The World Health Organization (WHO) reports over 37 million falls occur globally every year; a phenomenon that persists despite decades’ long focus on prevention.3 To achieve desired outcomes, experts call for patient-centered care and active commitment of the entire care team.4,5 Thus, patients maturing as informed consumers and drivers of their own health should be recognized for their role in pursuing safety. Limited research exists that examines specific methodologies in cultivating a patient-driven approach to fall prevention.
Purpose: This purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of an individualized, patient-focused fall prevention education initiative on patients’ perceived fall risks, knowledge of risk reduction strategies, and adherence to fall prevention plans during the first 72 hours of admission to an acute care inpatient unit.
Methods: A mixed method, quasi-experimental pre-/post-test design was used to survey and educate a convenience sample of 32 adult inpatients at an urban, Level I Trauma Center. Individualized instruction derived from nursing assessment and patient reports of fall risk, fear of falling, perception of safe behaviors, and knowledge of risk factors. Post-survey occurred 24 to 48 hours later, repeating these elements and adding exploration into adherence to prevention strategies. Data was analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank testing, Spearman’s rho, and thematic analysis.
Results: Nurse-patient alignment of perceived fall risk (i.e., low/low, high/high) demonstrated a statistically significant increase from 21.87% pre-intervention to 78.13% post (p = 0.0002). Participants exhibited high overall understanding of factors that increase risk for falls but did not often attribute these risks to themselves. Lastly, 75% of patients who qualified for bed/chair alarms were non-compliant with the strategy.
Implications for Practice/Conclusion: Results suggest application of patient perspectives to drive tailored educational programming can increase patients’ awareness to and accuracy of perceived fall risk. Shaping human behavior and decision making requires detailed understanding of personal motivations and perceptions. Research should extend translation of risk perception to adoption of safe behaviors.
Description
Falls are a major health concern, with over 37 million occurring globally each year, underscoring the need for effective prevention strategies. This presentation explores hospital-based research highlighting the importance of patient involvement in safety strategies. In this patient-centered initiative, nurse-patient alignment of perceived fall risk was found to notably increase. The approach both enhanced awareness and promoted safe behaviors, opening the door for improved patient outcomes.