Reduction of fall in Orthopedic Units

Reduction of fall in Orthopedic Units

The incidences of orthopedic falls are one of the most common unsympathetic events in most healthcare facilities, and they often lead to mortality and fear for falling along with the increased incidences of morbidity. Thus, the need to bring to an end the chances of patient falls along with their impacts on the health conditions prompted a team of researchers to engage in a study. This is essential for enhancing the understanding of the challenges along with the outcomes of putting into play the hourly rounds in the reduction of the falling incidences among the patients in the Orthopedic Units. The findings of this study shed light on the manifold challenges in the transnational research. Based on the study results, the structured nursing rounds interventions (SNRIs) have the potential to reduce the incidences of patient falls in the initial stages. However, the fidelity of the implementation of SNRI along with its documentation was variable but the gains in fall reduction appeared lost a year later. Based on the study, it is evident that the Nurses along with the medical practitioners appreciate the importance of bringing balance to the intervention along with the individualization of the patient intervention.

To understand the efficiency of the hour rounds, the study aimed to carry out the evaluation along with the feasibility of the adaptation as well as the translation of SNRI to the reduction of the risk along with the incidences of falls amongst the orthopedic patients in two inpatient units. The researchers hypothesized that the implementation of the structured nursing rounds interventions would be essential in the reduction of the fall rates among the orthopedic patients by up to one-year post-intervention. Besides, the conjecture predicted that the patient risk factors along with the acknowledged SNRI activities would depict the falls.

To determine the effectiveness along with the relevance of the hourly rounds in the reduction of falling incidences among patients in the orthopedic units, the researchers adopted a descriptive along with a repeated measures design. The study involved the selection of two inpatient orthopedic units, which had the capacity of the twenty-nine beds in one of the largest academic medical centers in the Midwest regions of the United States of America. Besides, the researchers also engaged in the determination of the association that existed the risk scores of patient falls along with the probably of fall incidences during the hospitalization stages.

Additionally, the study involved the interviewing of nurses along with other members of the medical service provisioning team on the barriers as well as the facilitating factors that influence the implementation along with the effectiveness of the SNRI. The findings of the study enabled the researchers to make a few recommendations such as the provisioning of the bathroom assistance, placement of the patients' items at locations where they can easily access them on an hourly basis along with the addressing of the patient comfort. The selection of two different units enabled the research team to engage an approximately fifty-eight patients in the study. This number was effective in the study because it did not only provide a good representation of the patient population, but it also enabled the research team to achieve data saturation.

To enhance the reliability of the study results, the researchers collected data over different time periods within a span of three months, particularly before the implementation of the SNRI activities, during the implementation of the SNRI as well as after a period of one year after the implementation of the SNRI. The monitoring along with the evaluation of the research study was a mandate of nursing staff that underwent basic training in the background along with the purpose of the study, data collection procedures as well as the expectation of the staff members along with the patients during the study period. Throughout the study period, the nursing staff involved in the data collection used video recorder as well cameras along with questionnaires to gather data on the progress of various patients while subjecting them to the standard care. After which, the audio forms of data gathered during the process undergoes transcription into the text format for easy analysis.

Despite achieving the intended results, the study on the importance of hourly rounds on the orthopedic patient falls, there are a few drawbacks that compromise the reliability along with the viability of the study. One of such drawbacks is the statistically borderline nature of the research data. This makes the acceptance of the data difficult thus promoting the use of assumptions in conducting of the research analysis along with the conclusion. Besides, the presence of inconsistencies regarding the acquisition of positive data makes it intricate to trust the recommendations of the study. Another drawback of the study is the failure of the collected data to conform to the hypothesized outcome. In the opinion of the authors, there was to be a great risk of falling amongst the patients who were determined to have the greatest risk of falling. However, the results of the study directly opposed the author’s hypothesis in that majority of the patients who fell was those who were either confused or deemed as at risk of falling. Besides, a vast majority of the falls never resulted in any significant injury.

Considering that most of the procedures followed by the researchers while carrying out the study were in line with the standard research methodologies, there is a need for improved accuracy in the data capturing stages along with the analysis of the collected. This ensures that the analysis along with conclusions made by basing on the collected data is not misleading. While the implementation of the SNRI may be valuable in the determination of the influences of hourly rounds on the falling amongst the orthopedic patients, time constraints placed on unit nurses along with the burden of frequent documentation can be barriers to effective implementation, and this may compromise the quality of data. Thus, there is a need to establish structures that promote the implementation of the SNRI procedures based on the patient needs, and this calls for proper judgment by the nurses.

Worth noting is that while this study highlights the importance of improving patient outcomes regarding falls risk, it also reveals areas of needed research. Besides, no single intervention will prevent patient falls. Therefore, the research needs to be continuous to determine the best approaches for decreasing patient falls in addition to the most effective implementation of the necessary systems. However, one factor that needs to remain constant is the diligence of the nurses to the assessment of patients for risks of falls. Additionally, the nurses need to be readily available to their patients and utilize evidence-based practice in their work to protect their clients from picking injuries.