Background: Falls occur with alarming frequency despite decades’ long focus on prevention efforts. Patients are developing and maturing as informed consumers of health care and as valued members of the care team, should be recognized for their role in driving health and safety outcomes.
Purpose/Specific Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of patient-driven, risk-tailored education and care planning on nurse-patient alignment of perceived fall risk and adherence to risk reduction strategies 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 subsequently educate a convenience sample of 32 adult inpatients. Individualized instruction derived from nursing assessment and patient reports of fall risk, fear of falling, perception of health behaviors, and knowledge of risk factors. Post-survey occurred 24 to 48 hours later, with repetition of these elements and added exploration into adherence to fall 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) increased from 21.87% pre-intervention to 78.13% post (p = 0.0002). A majority of patients who qualified for bed/chair alarms (75%) were non-compliant with the strategy; alignment of self-perceived compliance with reporting structures was divided.
Conclusion: Results suggest application of patient perspectives to drive tailored educational programming can increase patients’ awareness to and accuracy of perceived fall risk. Further intervention is needed to extend adoption of safe behaviors in alignment with risk stratification.
