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Heikkilä A, Lehtonen L, Junttila K. Consequences of Inpatient Falls in Acute Care: A Retrospective Register Study. J Patient Saf 2024; 20:340-344. [PMID: 38687005 DOI: 10.1097/pts.0000000000001230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
AIMS The objectives of this study were (1) to explore the consequences of falls; (2) to find out time and place of the fall events; and (3) to explore the impact of falls on the length of hospital stays in adults' inpatient acute care. BACKGROUND In hospitals, falls are the most common accidents that can occur to a patient during hospitalization. Injuries resulting from serious falls can cause lifelong harm to the patient due to loss of well-being and independence. DESIGN A retrospective, cross-sectional, register study based on the data from electronic patient records was conducted. METHODS The data included 114,951 inpatients, of which 743 had fallen. Data was collected between January 2014 and December 2016. RESULTS One-third of falls caused injury. Most injuries were to the head area, and the most common injuries were pain or confusion. The falls usually occurred at the beginning of the treatment in the patient's room or on the way to the toilet. Falls in the hospital increased the length of stay. CONCLUSIONS A large proportion of falls occur at the beginning of treatment, so it is important to start fall prevention measures as soon as the patient arrives at the hospital.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anniina Heikkilä
- From the University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, HUS Group Administration, Nursing, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki
| | - Lasse Lehtonen
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki
| | - Kristiina Junttila
- HUS Nursing Research Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Saltan A, Mert S, Topbaş Ö, Aksu B. The investigation of effect on foot plantar massage on functional recovery in older adults with general surgery, randomized clinical trial. Aging Clin Exp Res 2024; 36:118. [PMID: 38780814 PMCID: PMC11116172 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-024-02770-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Foot massage is known to be effective on the emotional state (anxiety, depression, etc.) in the postoperative period. However, studies on its effect on functional level are insufficient. AIM The study aimed to investigate the impact of foot plantar massage on functional recovery in older adults undergoing general surgery, employing a randomized clinical trial design. METHODS A total of 70 older adults aged 65 years and above who underwent abdominal surgery were included. Various assessments were conducted, including pain levels (Visual Analogue Scale), fear of mobility (Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia), functional independence (Functional Independence Measure), balance (Berg Balance Scale), basic mobility (Rivermead Mobility Index), mental function status (Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination), and delirium (Nu-DESC). RESULTS Statistically significant differences were observed in some assessment parameters within the groups during the 2nd and 3rd measurement times, with the intervention group demonstrating significant mean differences. DISCUSSIONS The literature underscores the increase in kinesiophobia scores post-general/abdominal surgery in older adults, emphasizing the importance of evaluating functional level and kinesiophobia to expedite discharge processes and potentially plan early post-discharge rehabilitation to mitigate readmissions for functional reasons. CONCLUSIONS Ultimately, foot massage was found to be effective in reducing kinesiophobia, improving balance, mobility, daily living skills, and mental status in older adults post-abdominal surgery, thereby advocating for the facilitation of post-discharge rehabilitation programs or the reduction of readmission rates. THE CLINICAL TRIALS NUMBER NCT05534490.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asuman Saltan
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Yalova University, Yalova, Turkey.
| | - Selda Mert
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Kırşehir, Turkey
| | - Önder Topbaş
- Department of Medical Services and Techniques, Kocaeli Vocational School of Health Services, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Beyza Aksu
- Vocational School of Health Services, Kocaeli University Hospital, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey
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Nabovati E, Farrahi R, Sadeqi Jabali M, Khajouei R, Abbasi R. Identifying and prioritizing the key performance indicators for hospital management dashboard at a national level: Viewpoint of hospital managers. Health Informatics J 2023; 29:14604582231221139. [PMID: 38062641 DOI: 10.1177/14604582231221139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Participation of main users in identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) for management dashboards contributes to their success. The aim of this study was to identify and prioritize the KPIs of hospital management dashboards from the viewpoint of hospital managers. This study was conducted on managers of public hospitals at a national level in Iran in 2020. Data were collected using a self-administrated questionnaire. The KPIs were classified into five categories, namely financial, operational, human resources, safety and quality of care, services provided to patients. A total of 234 hospital managers participated in this study. Totally, 25 KPIs were determined for the hospital management dashboard, including the patient falls rate, waiting time for patients in the emergency department, patient satisfaction, total hospital revenue, financial balance, bed occupancy rate, patients' discharge with own agreement, average length of stay, and personnel satisfaction. For designing hospital management dashboards, the domains of services provided to patients, safety and quality of care, financial resources, human resources, and operational are important from the hospital managers' viewpoint, respectively. The results of this study can be helpful for developers of business intelligence tools, such as hospital management dashboards, to visualize the most important indicators for managers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Nabovati
- Health Information Management Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
- Department of Health Information Management & Technology, School of Allied Health Professions, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Razieh Farrahi
- Department of Health Information Technology, Ferdows Faculty of Medical Sciences, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
- Department of Management and Health Information Technology, School of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Monireh Sadeqi Jabali
- Department of Health Information Technology, Ferdows Faculty of Medical Sciences, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
- Department of Management and Health Information Technology, School of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Reza Khajouei
- Medical Informatics Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Department of Health Information Sciences, Faculty of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Reza Abbasi
- Department of Health Information Technology, School of Paramedical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
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Gupta E, Tennison JM, Shin KY, Fu JB, Rozman de Moraes A, Naqvi SMA, Fellman B, Bruera E. Frequency, Characteristics, and Risk Factors for Falls at an Inpatient Cancer Rehabilitation Unit. JCO Oncol Pract 2023; 19:741-749. [PMID: 37339393 PMCID: PMC10538936 DOI: 10.1200/op.23.00188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Falls in the hospital can lead to adverse events, including injuries. Studies have shown that patients with cancer and those undergoing inpatient rehabilitation (IPR) are at higher risk for falls. Therefore, we measured the frequency, degree of harm, and characteristics of patients who fell in an inpatient cancer rehabilitation unit. METHODS A retrospective review was conducted on inpatient cancer rehabilitation patients admitted from January 2012 to February 2016. Fall frequency, degree of harm, fall circumstances, cancer type, patient's fall risk score on the basis of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Adult Inpatient Fall Risk Assessment Tool (MAIFRAT), length of stay, and risk factors were evaluated for patients. RESULTS There were 72 out of 1,571 unique individual falls (4.6%), with a falls incidence of 3.76 falls per 1,000 patient-days. Most fallers (86%) suffered no harm. Risk factors for falls included presence of patient-controlled analgesia pump (P = .03), pump such as insulin or wound vacuum-assisted closure (P < .01), nasogastric, gastric, or chest tube (P = .05), and higher MAIFRAT score (P < .01). The fallers were younger (62 v 66; P = .04), had a longer IPR stay (13 v 9; P = .03), and had a lower Charlson comorbidity index (6 v 8; P < .01). CONCLUSION The frequency and degree of harm for falls in the IPR unit were less than previous studies, which suggests that mobilization for these patients with cancer is safe. The presence of certain medical devices may contribute to fall risk, and more research is needed to better prevent falls in this higher-risk subgroup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekta Gupta
- Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Jegy M. Tennison
- Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Ki Y. Shin
- Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Jack B. Fu
- Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Aline Rozman de Moraes
- Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | | | - Bryan Fellman
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Eduardo Bruera
- Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
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Moore T, Kline D, Palettas M, Bodine T. Fall Prevention With the Smart Socks System Reduces Hospital Fall Rates. J Nurs Care Qual 2023; 38:55-60. [PMID: 35984693 DOI: 10.1097/ncq.0000000000000653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Falls of inpatients are common in hospitals. Existing fall prevention measures do not work consistently. PURPOSE To determine whether Smart Socks reduce fall rates in fall risk patients at a major academic health center's neurological and neurosurgical based units. METHODS A prospective study was conducted that provided fall risk patients with Smart Socks and no other fall prevention system. Data collected included duration of Smart Socks wearing, number of alarms, response times, and patient-days. RESULTS A total of 569 fall risk patients were included for 2211.6 patient-days. There were 4999 Smart Socks alarms, but none of the patients fell. We observed a lower fall rate, of 0 per 1000 patient-days, for patients wearing Smart Socks than the historical fall rate of 4 per 1000 patient-days. The median nurse response time was 24 seconds. CONCLUSIONS The Smart Socks reduced fall rates of fall risk patients included in the study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tammy Moore
- Nursing, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus (Dr Moore and Ms Bodine); and Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus (Dr Kline and Ms Palettas). Dr Kline is now with Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Heikkilä A, Lehtonen L, Junttila K. Fall rates by specialties and risk factors for falls in acute hospital: A retrospective study. J Clin Nurs 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jocn.16594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anniina Heikkilä
- University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
- HUS Group Administration, Nursing, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Lasse Lehtonen
- HUS Diagnostic Center Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Kristiina Junttila
- HUS Nursing Research Center Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
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Lindberg DS, Prosperi M, Bjarnadottir RI, Thomas J, Crane M, Chen Z, Shear K, Solberg LM, Snigurska UA, Wu Y, Xia Y, Lucero RJ. Identification of important factors in an inpatient fall risk prediction model to improve the quality of care using EHR and electronic administrative data: A machine-learning approach. Int J Med Inform 2020; 143:104272. [PMID: 32980667 PMCID: PMC8562928 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inpatient falls, many resulting in injury or death, are a serious problem in hospital settings. Existing falls risk assessment tools, such as the Morse Fall Scale, give a risk score based on a set of factors, but don't necessarily signal which factors are most important for predicting falls. Artificial intelligence (AI) methods provide an opportunity to improve predictive performance while also identifying the most important risk factors associated with hospital-acquired falls. We can glean insight into these risk factors by applying classification tree, bagging, random forest, and adaptive boosting methods applied to Electronic Health Record (EHR) data. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to use tree-based machine learning methods to determine the most important predictors of inpatient falls, while also validating each via cross-validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS A case-control study was designed using EHR and electronic administrative data collected between January 1, 2013 to October 31, 2013 in 14 medical surgical units. The data contained 38 predictor variables which comprised of patient characteristics, admission information, assessment information, clinical data, and organizational characteristics. Classification tree, bagging, random forest, and adaptive boosting methods were used to identify the most important factors of inpatient fall-risk through variable importance measures. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve were computed via ten-fold cross validation and compared via pairwise t-tests. These methods were also compared to a univariate logistic regression of the Morse Fall Scale total score. RESULTS In terms of AUROC, bagging (0.89), random forest (0.90), and boosting (0.89) all outperformed the Morse Fall Scale (0.86) and the classification tree (0.85), but no differences were measured between bagging, random forest, and adaptive boosting, at a p-value of 0.05. History of Falls, Age, Morse Fall Scale total score, quality of gait, unit type, mental status, and number of high fall risk increasing drugs (FRIDs) were considered the most important features for predicting inpatient fall risk. CONCLUSIONS Machine learning methods have the potential to identify the most relevant and novel factors for the detection of hospitalized patients at risk of falling, which would improve the quality of patient care, and to more fully support healthcare provider and organizational leadership decision-making. Nurses would be able to enhance their judgement to caring for patients at risk for falls. Our study may also serve as a reference for the development of AI-based prediction models of other iatrogenic conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the importance of patient, clinical, and organizational features based on the use of AI approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Lindberg
- Department of Statistics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, United States.
| | - Mattia Prosperi
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions and College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States
| | - Ragnhildur I Bjarnadottir
- Department of Family, Community, and Health Systems Science, College of Nursing, University of Florida, United States
| | | | | | - Zhaoyi Chen
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States
| | - Kristen Shear
- Department of Family, Community, and Health Systems Science, College of Nursing, University of Florida, United States
| | - Laurence M Solberg
- Department of Family, Community, and Health Systems Science, College of Nursing, University of Florida, United States; NF/SG VAHS, Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Urszula Alina Snigurska
- Department of Family, Community, and Health Systems Science, College of Nursing, University of Florida, United States
| | - Yonghui Wu
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States
| | - Yunpeng Xia
- Department of Family, Community, and Health Systems Science, College of Nursing, University of Florida, United States
| | - Robert J Lucero
- Department of Family, Community, and Health Systems Science, College of Nursing, University of Florida, United States
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Jones KJ, Crowe J, Allen JA, Skinner AM, High R, Kennel V, Reiter-Palmon R. The impact of post-fall huddles on repeat fall rates and perceptions of safety culture: a quasi-experimental evaluation of a patient safety demonstration project. BMC Health Serv Res 2019; 19:650. [PMID: 31500609 PMCID: PMC6734353 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-019-4453-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conducting post-fall huddles is considered an integral component of a fall-risk-reduction program. However, there is no evidence linking post-fall huddles to patient outcomes or perceptions of teamwork and safety culture. The purpose of this study is to determine associations between conducting post-fall huddles and repeat fall rates and between post-fall huddle participation and perceptions of teamwork and safety culture. METHODS During a two-year demonstration project, we developed a system for 16 small rural hospitals to report, benchmark, and learn from fall events, and we trained them to conduct post-fall huddles. To calculate a hospital's repeat fall rate, we divided the total number of falls reported by the hospital by the number of unique medical record numbers associated with each fall. We used Spearman correlations with exact P values to determine the association between the proportion of falls followed by a huddle and the repeat fall rate. At study end, we used the TeamSTEPPS® Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire (T-TPQ) to assess perceptions of teamwork support for fall-risk reduction and the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPS) to assess perceptions of safety culture. We added an item to the T-TPQ for respondents to indicate the number of post-fall huddles in which they had participated. We used a binary logistic regression with a logit link to examine the effect of participation in post-fall huddles on respondent-level percent positive T-TPQ and HSOPS scores. We accounted for clustering of respondents within hospitals with random effects using the GLIMMIX procedure in SAS/STAT. RESULT Repeat fall rates were negatively associated with the proportion of falls followed by a huddle. As compared to hospital staff who did not participate in huddles, those who participated in huddles had more positive perceptions of four domains of safety culture and how team structure, team leadership, and situation monitoring supported fall-risk reduction. CONCLUSIONS Post-fall huddles may reduce the risk of repeat falls. Staff who participate in post-fall huddles are likely to have positive perceptions of teamwork support for fall-risk reduction and safety culture because huddles are a team-based approach to reporting, adapting, and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine J. Jones
- College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984420 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-4420 USA
| | - John Crowe
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68182-0274 USA
| | - Joseph A. Allen
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68182-0274 USA
| | - Anne M. Skinner
- College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984420 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-4420 USA
| | - Robin High
- College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984375 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-4375 USA
| | - Victoria Kennel
- College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 984420 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-4420 USA
| | - Roni Reiter-Palmon
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68182-0274 USA
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Factors influencing fall prevention for patients with spinal cord injury from the perspectives of administrators in Canadian rehabilitation hospitals. BMC Health Serv Res 2019; 19:391. [PMID: 31208427 PMCID: PMC6580568 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-019-4233-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fall prevention is a priority in Canadian tertiary rehabilitation hospitals. We aimed to understand the perspectives of hospital administrators on the challenges experienced when implementing fall prevention policies/procedures for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) in tertiary rehabilitation hospitals. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 administrators employed in six Canadian tertiary rehabilitation hospitals. Guided by an interpretive description framework, interviews were analyzed using a constant comparison approach. Results Challenges with fall prevention experienced by administrators fell into the three categories: 1) fall prevention policy and procedural challenges (e.g. fall prevention policy not SCI-specific, expectation of zero falls, determining contributing factors, learning from falls, and overall effectiveness of the fall prevention policy), 2) clinician-related challenges (e.g. variable staff adherence with the organizations’ fall prevention procedures, inconsistent delivery of fall prevention education, and integrating individualized fall risks to guide clinical practice), and 3) patient-related challenges (e.g. balancing risk vs independence and rehabilitation progress, responsibility for fall prevention, and non-preventable falls). Conclusions Fall prevention policies/procedures required by the hospitals were insufficient for clinical practice in SCI rehabilitation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4233-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Sato N, Hase N, Osaka A, Sairyo K, Katoh S. Falls among Hospitalized Patients in an Acute Care Hospital: Analyses of Incident Reports. THE JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INVESTIGATION 2018; 65:81-84. [PMID: 29593199 DOI: 10.2152/jmi.65.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Falls cause injuries such as fractures, skin lacerations, bleeding, and head injury, and could result in more severe medical conditions in hospitalized patients. We retrospectively investigated the incidence and characteristics of falls among hospitalized patients in an acute care hospital from incident reports by hospital staff between January and June 2013. There were 154 falls in 135 patients, 2 of which resulted in fracture. The average age of patients who fell was 63.9 (range 0 to 91) years. Many falls occurred at the bedside (68.2%). Approximately half of all falls were related to elimination (46.6%). The most common time of discovery of falls was 2:00-2:59 AM (14/154;9.1%), followed by early in the morning when patients would actively move. Fall rates in our hospital were 1.39 falls per 1,000 patient days. The department of respiratory medicine and rheumatology had the highest fall rate (3.08 falls per 1,000 patient days), followed by the departments of neurosurgery and neurology (2.98 falls per 1,000 patient days). This study revealed the characteristics of falls in an acute care hospital, and suggests that their notification in the hospital might help reduce the incidence of falls in hospitalized patients. J. Med. Invest. 65:81-84, February, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nori Sato
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tokushima University Hospital
| | - Naomi Hase
- Department of Nursing, Tokushima University Hospital
| | - Akemi Osaka
- Department of Nursing, Tokushima University Hospital
| | - Koichi Sairyo
- Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School
| | - Shinsuke Katoh
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tokushima University Hospital
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Abdalla A, Adhaduk M, Haddad RA, Alnimer Y, Ríos-Bedoya CF, Bachuwa G. Does acute care for the elderly (ACE) unit decrease the incidence of falls? Geriatr Nurs 2017; 39:292-295. [PMID: 29137820 DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2017.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
To determine whether acute care for the elderly (ACE) units decrease the incidence of patient falls compared to general medical and surgical (GMS) units, a non-concurrent prospective study included individuals aged 65 and older admitted to ACE or GMS units over a 2-year span was done. There were 7069 admissions corresponded to 28,401 patient-days. A total of 149 falls were reported for an overall incidence rate (IR) of 5.2 falls per 1000 patient-days, 95% CI, 4.4/1000-6.1/1000 patient-days. The falls IR ratio for patients in ACE unit compared to those in non-ACE units after adjusting for age, sex, prescribed psychotropics and hypnotics, and Morse Fall Score was 0.27/1000 patient-days; 95% CI, 0.13-0.54; p < 0.001. So, an estimated 73% reduction in patient falls between ACE unit and non-ACE units. Hospitals may consider investing in ACE units to decrease the risk of falls and the associated medical and financial costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Abdalla
- Internal Medicine Residency Program, Hurley Medical Center, Michigan State University, 1 Hurley Plaza, Flint, MI 48503, USA.
| | - Mehul Adhaduk
- Internal Medicine Residency Program, Hurley Medical Center, Michigan State University, 1 Hurley Plaza, Flint, MI 48503, USA
| | - Raad A Haddad
- Internal Medicine Residency Program, Hurley Medical Center, Michigan State University, 1 Hurley Plaza, Flint, MI 48503, USA
| | - Yanal Alnimer
- Internal Medicine Residency Program, Hurley Medical Center, Michigan State University, 1 Hurley Plaza, Flint, MI 48503, USA
| | - Carlos F Ríos-Bedoya
- Internal Medicine Residency Program, Hurley Medical Center, Michigan State University, 1 Hurley Plaza, Flint, MI 48503, USA
| | - Ghassan Bachuwa
- Internal Medicine Residency Program, Hurley Medical Center, Michigan State University, 1 Hurley Plaza, Flint, MI 48503, USA
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Miller KL, Richter HE, Graybill CS, Neumayer LA. Fall risk and function in older women after gynecologic surgery. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2017; 73:37-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Abstract
Falls in acute care medical patients are a complex problem impacted by the constantly changing risk factors affecting this population. This integrative literature review analyzes current evidence to determine factors that continue to make falls a top patient safety problem within the medical unit microsystem. The goal of this review is to develop an evidence-based structure to guide process improvement and effective use of organization resources.
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Fehlberg EA, Lucero RJ, Weaver MT, McDaniel AM, Chandler AM, Richey PA, Mion LC, Shorr RI. Associations between hyponatraemia, volume depletion and the risk of falls in US hospitalised patients: a case-control study. BMJ Open 2017; 7:e017045. [PMID: 28790043 PMCID: PMC5724091 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine if abnormal laboratory values which may indicate volume depletion are associated with increased odds of experiencing a hospital-acquired fall. DESIGN Matched case-control study. SETTING Four hospitals located in the Southeast USA. PARTICIPANTS Data from 699 adult fallers and 1189 matched controls (non-fallers) were collected via chart review from 2005 to 2010. Controls were matched to cases by nursing unit, time of fall and length of stay. OUTCOME MEASURES The primary exposures included serum sodium, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, BUN/creatinine ratio and haematocrit. Conditional logistic regression with m:n matching was used to determine adjusted and unadjusted ORs. RESULTS Serum sodium levels were strongly associated with falls. In models controlling for demographic and other fall risk factors, patients with serum sodium levels of 125 mEq/L or less were associated with increased odds of experiencing a fall as compared with those with serum sodium levels of greater than 134 mEq/L (adjusted OR (aOR)=5.08, 95% CI 1.43 to 18.08). Conversely, elevated BUN, creatinine and elevated BUN/creatinine ratios were not associated with increased odds of experiencing a fall (aOR=0.64, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.84; aOR=0.70, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.92 and aOR=0.77, 95% CI 0.58 to 1.04, respectively.) CONCLUSIONS: Laboratory indices that may indicate volume depletion appear to be unrelated to falls. However, hyponatraemia does appear to be a risk factor for falls, and those with serum sodium levels below 126 mEq/L are at especially high risk. It may be that other deficits associated with hyponatraemia, like altered mental status, are associated with risk of experiencing a hospital-acquired fall. These results indicate that abnormal laboratory values, like low sodium, can be useful for identifying hospitalised patients at risk of falling. Therefore, further investigation into abnormal laboratory values as predictors of hospital-acquired falls is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Fehlberg
- Departments of Biobehavioral Nursing and Family, Community, and Health System Science, University of Florida College of Nursing, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Division of Research on Healthcare Value, Equity, and the Lifespan, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Robert J Lucero
- Departments of Biobehavioral Nursing and Family, Community, and Health System Science, University of Florida College of Nursing, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Center for Innovation on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (CINDRR), Malcom Randall VAMC, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Michael T Weaver
- Departments of Biobehavioral Nursing and Family, Community, and Health System Science, University of Florida College of Nursing, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Anna M McDaniel
- Departments of Biobehavioral Nursing and Family, Community, and Health System Science, University of Florida College of Nursing, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | | | - Phyllis A Richey
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Lorraine C Mion
- Center of Excellence in Critical and Complex Care, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Ronald I Shorr
- Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers (GRECC), Malcom Randall VAMC, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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15
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Staggs VS, Cramer E. Can Nursing Units With High Fall Rates Be Identified Using One Year of Data? Reliability of Fall Rates As a Function of the Number of Quarters on Which They Are Based. Res Nurs Health 2016; 40:80-87. [PMID: 27687008 DOI: 10.1002/nur.21770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Reliability-the extent to which multiple measurements of a target yield similar results-is critical in comparing healthcare provider quality. Hospital unit fall rates are widely tracked and used for benchmarking, but their reliability is not well-studied. Our twofold purpose was to estimate fall rate reliability, both in terms of signal (between-unit variability) relative to noise (within-unit variability) and in terms of the accuracy with which units can be classified as high-fall units; and to assess reliability as a function of the number of quarters of data used to compute fall rates. Using year 2013 data from 11,765 critical care, step-down, medical, surgical, medical-surgical, and rehabilitation units in 1,552 US hospitals, we identified high-fall-rate units, computed units' signal-noise reliability, and simulated data to assess accuracy of high-fall-rate unit classification as a function of quarters of data. When critical care units were excluded, median unit type signal-noise reliabilities for annual total and injurious fall rates, respectively, ranged from .74 to .82 and from .53 to .68. In simulation, seven quarters of data were sufficient to achieve top-decile misclassification rates at or below 10% for all unit types except critical care. Top-quartile misclassification rates were higher; even 12 quarters of data did not consistently yield top-quartile misclassification rates below 10%. In the absence of long-term data, and for units with low patient volume and unit types with very low fall rates, comparison with a unit's own historical data may be more helpful for quality monitoring than attempting to rank it among its peers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent S Staggs
- Research Faculty, Health Services and Outcomes Research, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64108
| | - Emily Cramer
- Research Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
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16
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Staggs VS. Reliability assessment of a hospital quality measure based on rates of adverse outcomes on nursing units. Stat Methods Med Res 2015; 26:2951-2961. [DOI: 10.1177/0962280215618688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop methods for assessing the reliability of scores on a widely disseminated hospital quality measure based on nursing unit fall rates. Poisson regression interactive multilevel modeling was adapted to account for clustering of units within hospitals. Three signal-noise reliability measures were computed. Squared correlations between the hospital score and true hospital fall rate averaged 0.52 ± 0.18 for total falls (0.68 ± 0.18 for injurious falls). Reliabilities on the other two measures averaged at least 0.70 but varied widely across hospitals. Parametric bootstrap data reflecting within-unit noise in falls were generated to evaluate percentile-ranked hospital scores as estimators of true hospital fall rate ranks. Spearman correlations between bootstrap hospital scores and true fall rates averaged 0.81 ± 0.01 (0.79 ± 0.01). Bias was negligible, but ranked hospital scores were imprecise, varying across bootstrap samples with average SD 11.8 (14.9) percentiles. Across bootstrap samples, hospital-measure scores fell in the same decile as the true fall rate in about 30% of cases. Findings underscore the importance of thoroughly assessing reliability of quality measurements before deciding how they will be used. Both the hospital measure and the reliability methods described can be adapted to other contexts involving clustered rates of adverse patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent S Staggs
- Health Services and Outcomes Research, Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, MO, USA
- School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
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