Knowledge and performance among nurses before and after a training programme on patient falls ()
1. INTRODUCTION
Patient falls, defined as the rate at which patients fall during their hospital stays per 1000 patient days, are a nursing-sensitive quality indicator in the delivery of inpatient services. Among the nursing quality indicators identified by the American Nurses Association (2002), patient fall rates are perceived as the indicator that could be most improved through nurse-led safety strategies or interventions [1]. Hospitals have devoted quality improvement and research efforts to prevent falls, but patient falls nonetheless consistently compose the largest single category of reported incidents in hospitals. Apparently the utilization of fall risk assessment tools to evaluate patients’ risks for falls apparently are not effectively reducing inpatient fall rates because of human factors and ergonomics in a hospital environment [2]. Patient falls in hospitals are common and affect approximately 2% to 17% of patients during their hospital stay [3-7]. Fall related injuries occur in 15% to 50% of the patients, including major injuries such as fractures or lacerations in 1% to 10% [7-10]. Furthermore, falls may lead to fear of falling with subsequent activity restriction, prolonged hospital stay and legal liability [11]. Patient falls are a high-risk, high-volume, high-cost challenge for healthcare facilities. Nearly one-third of US adults ages 65 and older fall each year, according to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (2008) [12]. Injuries from falls can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Of those individuals who sustain a hip fracture—the most feared complication from a fall—more than 24% die within a year of the fall, and 50% never return to their normal level of functioning [13]. The Joint Commission emphasized that the process of establishing a comprehensive fall-reduction program must involve much more than connecting causes to cures. It was stated that any fall prevention interventions should be acknowledged and accepted by the nurses who work at the bedside to ensure successful implementation and improved outcomes [1].
Individual risk factors for falls are either intrinsic or extrinsic to the care recipient system. Intrinsic risk factors are integral to the patient system and may be associated with age-related changes, including previous falls, reduced vision, unsteady gait, musculoskeletal system deficits, mental status deficits, acute illness, and chronic illness. Extrinsic risk factors are external to the patient system and related to the physical environment, including medication, lack of support equipment by bathtubs and toilets, design of furnishings, condition of floors, poor illumination, inappropriate footwear, improper use of devices, and inadequate assistive devices [2-13]. In addition, it had been found that the primary root causes of fatal falls as reported by health care organizations involved inadequate staff communication, incomplete orientation and training, incomplete patient assessment and reassessment, environmental issues, incomplete care planning, unavailable or delayed care provision, and an inadequate organizational culture of safety [14,15].
Over the years, hospitals have incorporated many methods and techniques aimed at reducing fall rates. Often, falls prevention programs or falls risk assessment tools are utilized to help reduce falls. Falls prevention programs can function to educate both nurses and patients about factors that cause falls and the injuries that result from falls. Falls assessments tools include: The Morse Fall Scale, the STRATIFY tool, the Hendrich II Fall Risk Model, and the Schmid Fall Risk Assessment Tool [16]. Nurses bear the primary responsibility regarding patient care and, therefore, assume accountability when patients do fall. Nurses often find themselves overburdened with the number of patients under their care, and the current technology used in hospitals can be confusing, thus lowering the efficiency of the nurses in the hospital [16,17]. Nurses working in public health, primary health care setting and home care are ideally positioned to help their patients acquire the skills and knowledge that can help them reduce their risk of injury. Nurses working in emergency rooms can gather important information about the causes of injuries. Nurses working in acute care can play an important role in preventing further injuries by starting the educational process with their patients [18]. Nurses can have a significant impact on injury prevention, as well as on successful treatment and rehabilitation after injuries have occurred. They possess characteristics which are effective in this role; as nurses have a strong skill base in assessment, skilled educators, present in all parts of the health system, and often have long term relationships with patients [14]. In addition nurses themselves are at high risk of certain kind of injuries, such as musculoskeletal injuries as a result of lifting heavy patient, and needle stick injuries [17]. Since in-patient falls and associated injuries frequently occur in hospital settings various initiatives have been undertaken to prevent these often harmful events in order to provide safe patient care. A first review in the 1980’s of 6 studies on in-patient fall risk profiles and interventions to prevent in-patient falls in hospital settings gave some indications of potentially successful approaches. The few intervention studies conducted in acute care settings such as in medical, orthopedic and geriatric-psychiatric units showed a reduction in the incidence of falls [19]. No previous research has ever been conducted on falls prevention at the Health Insurance Organization Hospitals. The aim of the study was to investigate nurses’ knowledge and performance to prevent patient fall at one of the Health Insurance Organization Hospitals.
Aim of the work: To assess the effect of an educational training program on nurses’ knowledge and performance regarding prevention of fall at one of the health insurance organization hospitals in Alexandria.
2. METHODOLOGY
2.1. Study Setting
The study was conducted at one of the health insurance organization hospitals (284 bed general hospital), which is located in the eastern district of Alexandria. Nurses participated in the study from a variety of units namely; (orthopedic, medical, surgical, ICU unit). Data collection took place between February till May 2011.
2.2. Study Design
Quasi-experimental design (pre-post-intervention).
2.3. Study Population
Nurses of different ranks, ranging from registered nurses to diploma nurses (graduated from school of nursing) and specialized nurses who are working at different departments (orthopedic, medical, surgical, ICU unit).
2.4. Sampling Design
All the nurses working at four departments of the highest rate of patient liable to fall namely orthopedic, medical, surgical, ICU unit were included to assess their knowledge and performance regarding patient fall. The total number was 40 nurses: 10 Registered nurses and 30 technical nurses. One nurse was selected daily to be observed five times in order to observe her performance in prevention of patient fall at different times during the day work.
2.5. Data Collection Tools
Two tools were designed specifically to collect data of the present study. The first tool was used to assess knowledge of all nurses about prevention of patient fall before the educational training program and assess knowledge of selected nurses after the educational training program. A questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection for both pre- & post-test phases of the training program in order to measure the knowledge level of the trainees regarding fall prevention. Nurses were assessed regarding the gained knowledge after the program by using the same tool. This questionnaire was designed by the researchers after reviewing the body of literature on patient fall [12,13,20] after introducing the relevant modifications. The questionnaire consisted of two parts; part 1 included the demographic characteristics of nurses including; department, age, years of experience, and qualification degree, (previous training program in hospital hazard and reported cases). Part 2 was concerned with nurses’ knowledge regarding fall prevention and consisted of 34 closed ended questions. Questions covered four factors, individual factors (6 questions), health factor (7 questions), environmental factors (9 questions), and other factors (12 questions).
Individual factors included namely; old age, history of fall, overall poor health status, urine incontinence, osteoporosis, bed ridden patient. Health factors included namely; uses aids, medications on neurological system, treatment by heparin, motion troubles, awareness troubles, seizures, heart attack, post operative. Environmental factors included namely; poor lightening, bed barriers, furniture, safe ends, carpenters, loose cords or wires, close tools (patient equipment), location of patient room, logo for patient identification, bells and announcement (bed alarm). Other factors included namely; patient education, tidy environment, availability of equipment, routine round, helmet hat (head cover), incomprehensive communication, insufficient training, incomplete patient evaluation, unsafe environment, insufficient care, absence of laws and regulations and no guidance plates.
The second tool was used to assess the skills of nurses regarding prevention of patient fall before and after educational training programme. A nurse performance observation checklist was used to observe the nursing staff on a Done/Not done scale where Done = 1, Not done = 0 for patients at risk of falling. The tool was developed by the researchers after reviewing the related literature [2, 12] to assess nurses’ level of performance regarding prevention of patient fall. It consisted of 34 items; 11 education items and 22 environment items. The education items namely; orient patient to surroundings and assigned staff, instruct to call for help before getting out of bed, demonstrate nurses’ call system, ambulate as early and frequently as appropriate for the patient’s condition, educate and supply patient and family with fall prevention information, consult with the falls team and pharmacy (review medications, evaluation by the interdisciplinary team, exercise/activities program, actively engage patient and family in all aspects of the fall prevention program, instruct patient in all activities prior to initiating, and instruct patient in use of grab bar. The environment items namely; adequate lighting to provide safe ambulation, non-slip footwear, call bell within reach, visible, and patient informed of the location and use, light cord within reach, visible, and patient informed of the location and use, consider use of sitters for cognitively impaired patients, provide physically safe environment, i.e., eliminate spills, clutter, electrical cords, and unnecessary equipment, personal care items within arm length, bed in lowest position with wheels locked, identify patient in fall prevention program, i.e., colored wrist band, themed sign outside patient’s room and above patient bed, every 3, 2, or 1 hour comfort and toileting rounds, comfort rounds include positioning as indicated; offering fluids, snacks when appropriate and ensuring patient is warm and dry, wheelchair alarm, room placement closer to nurses’ station, bedside mat, elevated toilet seat, for risk of head injury consider a helmet (for patients with a history to fall hitting head), assign bed that enables patient to exit towards stronger side whenever possible, individualize equipment specific to patient needs, minimize distractions, check tips of canes, walkers, and crutches for non-skid covers, and transfer towards stronger side.
The educational programme to upgrade knowledge and performance of nurses regarding prevention of patient fall was developed by the researchers after reviewing the related literature [1,5,20], which included one day workshop (6 hours) for every 10 nurses. Preand posttests were conducted in order to assess changes about knowledge and performance of nurses. The programme was piloted on 10 nurses (5 specialized nurses and 5 registered nurses) in order to test the clarity and applicability for the tools. Accordingly, the necessary modifications were performed.
The collected data were coded and entered into the computer for statistical analysis. Data were checked for errors during data entry. SPSS statistical package version 16.0 was used for statistical analysis. The 5% level of significance was used for the tests of significance. Test of normality was carried out for the quantitative scores which proved to be highly skewed thus nonparametric tests of significance were utilized accordingly. Wilcoxon test was used to compare the distribution of two related samples (preand post-intervention) regarding the nurse performance scores. Mean (%) score calculated as follows:
2.6. Ethical Considerations
Ethical principles that governed the study process:
- Objective from study was discussed with authorized management and formal clearance was assured before collecting data;
- All nurses who participated in the study were those who actually agreed to complete the study;
- Nurses were approached with a full description of the study and its aim, after which the nurses were free to participate in the study or reject;
- Confidentiality of the nurses was protected throughout the study.
3. RESULTS
Table 1. Personal characteristics of selected nurses at the health insurance organization hospital (Alexandria, 2011).
Table 1 shows the characteristics of the sample under study. The mean age of the sample was 25.3 ± 8.2 and the highest percentage of nurses aged between 18 years to less than 25 years accounted for 55% of the total sample. The highest percentage of nurses had 1 to 5 years of experience (52.5%) while the lowest percentage (12.5%) had experience from 10 to more than 15 years. The mean years of experience for the sample was 6.6 ± 5.5. Regarding departments, 37.5%, 22.5%, 20%, 20%, of nurses were working at ICU, Internal medicine, orthopedic and surgery respectively. The highest percentage of nurses were diploma graduates, i.e., graduated from nursing secondary school (45%) while the least percentage were nurses with bachelor degree (B. Sc Nursing) and accounted for 25%. Except for one nurse among the sample, all the nurses did not attend any previous training regarding patient fall.
Table 2. Nurses’ knowledge related to personal, health, environmental and other factors of patient fall preand post-educational programs (Alexandria, 2011).
Table 2 presents nurses’ knowledge related to personal, health, environmental and other factors of patient fall preand post-educational programs. There was a significant difference regarding all factors under study before and after the educational programme. Regarding item analysis, the knowledge pertaining to all factors (34 factors) was improved after the program except for two individual factors, old age (p = 0.84), overall poor health status (p = 0.38), and two health factors, uses aids (p = 0.50), treatment by heparin (p = 1.00), and two environmental factors, poor lighting (p = 0.34), loose cords or wires (p = 0.30) and bells (p = 0.30), and one miscellaneous factor, patient education (p = 0.85) and tidy environment (p = 0.85).