Developing an evidence-based approach to falls-risk assessment

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Patient Safety
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Falls are a major cause of injury and reduced confidence in elderly patients.
• Critical incident reporting systems (CIRS) offer valuable insights into patient safety events.
• Existing falls-risk assessments may lack robust evidence substantiation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development of an evidence-based falls-risk assessment.
• To utilize lessons learned from a trust's critical incident reporting system.
• To enhance patient safety and confidence in older populations.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of critical incident reports related to falls.
• Systematic review and critical appraisal of relevant research on falls-risk assessment.
• Integration of research findings into a revised falls-risk assessment protocol.

Main Results:

• Identification of key themes and learning points from critical incidents.
• Development of a falls-risk assessment tool grounded in critically appraised evidence.
• Demonstrated a structured approach to evidence-based practice development.

Conclusions:

• An evidence-based approach to falls-risk assessment can be effectively developed using critical incident data and research.
• This methodology enhances the reliability and validity of falls-risk assessment tools.
• Improved falls-risk assessment contributes to better patient safety and outcomes for older adults.