Effectiveness of the fall prevention intervention in older adults with arterial hypertension: randomized clinical trial

Associations among frailty status, hypertension, and fall risk in community-dwelling older adults

Objectives

Frailty and hypertension often coexist in older adults, which may lead to fall risks. This study aimed to examine the relationship between frailty status, hypertension, and fall risk.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, a total of 401 older adults were conveniently recruited from communities in Wuxi, China, between September 2022 and November 2022. The fall risk self-assessment checklist from the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries (STEADI) Toolkit was used to evaluate their fall risks. The FRAIL scale questionnaire was used to assess frailty status. Participants' demographic information and comorbidities were collected. Multivariate logistic regression, generalized additive model, and smooth curve fitting were used to analyze the association between frailty, hypertension, and fall risk.

Results

Frailty had a strong association with increased prevalence of fall risk among the participants (OR 8.52, 95% CI 3.21-22.57; P < 0.001). Hypertension significantly increased the fall risk among older adults (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.11-3.13; P = 0.019). The group with hypertension and frailty had the highest prevalence of fall risk (OR 12.24, 95% CI 3.51-42.65). Smooth curve fitting showed a nonlinear association between frailty and fall risk in hypertension status. In the progress of pre-frailty to frailty status, a higher tendency to fall was found among older adults with hypertension.

Conclusions

Frailty status and hypertension independently and jointly influenced the increased prevalence of fall risk. Enhanced frailty and hypertension management may help decrease fall risk among this population.

Effectiveness of a Standardized Nursing Process Using NANDA International, Nursing Interventions Classification and Nursing Outcome Classification Terminologies: A Systematic Review

The decision-making in clinical nursing, regarding diagnoses, interventions and outcomes, can be assessed using standardized language systems such as NANDA International, the Nursing Interventions Classification and the Nursing Outcome Classification; these taxonomies are the most commonly used by nurses in informatized clinical records. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of the nursing process with standardized terminology using the NANDA International, the Nursing Interventions Classification and the Nursing Outcome Classification in care practice to assess the association between the presence of the related/risk factors and the clinical decision-making about nursing diagnosis, assessing the effectiveness of nursing interventions and health outcomes, and increasing people's satisfaction. A systematic review was carried out in Medline and PreMedline (OvidSP), Embase (Embase-Elsevier), The Cochrane Library (Wiley), CINAHL (EbscoHOST), SCI-EXPANDED, SSCI and Scielo (WOS), LILACS (Health Virtual Library) and SCOPUS (SCOPUS-Elsevier) and included randomized clinical trials as well as quasi-experimental, cohort and case-control studies. Selection and critical appraisal were conducted by two independent reviewers. The certainty of the evidence was assessed with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation Methodology. A total of 17 studies were included with variability in the level and certainty of evidence. According to the outcomes, 6 studies assessed diagnostic decision-making and 11 assessed improvements in individual health outcomes. No studies assessed improvements in intervention effectiveness or population satisfaction. There is a need to increase studies with rigorous methodologies that address clinical decision-making about nursing diagnoses using NANDA International and individuals' health outcomes using the Nursing Interventions Classification and the Nursing Outcome Classification as well as implementing studies that assess the use of these terminologies for improvements in the effectiveness of nurses' interventions and population satisfaction with the nursing process.

Effects of Nurse-Led Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults: A Systematic Review

Falls among older adults are preventable events and fall prevention programs led by nursing staff are promising and viable programs for preventing falls. This systematic review aimed to gain insight into the effects of nurse-led fall prevention programs for older adults. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analysis was used as a guideline in reporting this literature search conducted through CINAHL, MEDLINE, Eric, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases. The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice was used to determine the level of evidence and quality rating of the articles, while data extraction was done by a matrix review method. The review included six randomized controlled trials, two non-randomized controlled trials, and three quasi-experimental designs. Six studies directed their education component of the intervention on the nursing staff, while three focused on the older participants. Nurses' roles were patient assessment, patient education, administration of exercise programs, and follow-up post interventions. Fall rates and fall incidents were reduced in five studies, while three studies changed patients' behavior. Fall prevention programs with education components specific for older adults and nursing staff resulted in positive outcomes. Nursing staff make a significant contribution to improving patients' outcomes, and a fall prevention program that focuses on reducing injurious fall rates and enhancing participants' behavior could maximize its effects.