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Patients' Experience After a Fall and Their Perceptions of Fall Prevention: A Qualitative Study
Mei Ling Lim1, Seng Giap Marcus Ang, Kai Yunn Teo
1Nursing Division, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore (Mss Lim, Teo, Wee, Yee, Lim, and Ang); and School of Nursing and Midwifery, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia (Mr Ang).
Journal of Nursing Care Quality
|April 28, 2017
Summary
Hospitalized patients often downplay fall risks and hesitate to seek help due to apathy, self-blame, and concerns about burdening busy nurses. Understanding these patient perspectives is crucial for improving fall prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Patient Safety
- Qualitative Research
Background:
- Hospital falls are a significant patient safety concern.
- Understanding patient perspectives on falls is vital for effective prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore hospitalized patients' perspectives on experiencing falls.
- To identify themes influencing patient behavior and reporting of falls.
Main Methods:
- An exploratory descriptive study.
- Conducted interviews with 100 patients who had experienced falls.
- Utilized inductive content analysis.
Main Results:
- Six key themes emerged: apathy toward falls, self-blame, reluctance to bother nurses, negative feelings toward nurses, overestimation of personal ability, and poor information recall.
- Patients frequently underestimated fall risks.
- Patients were hesitant to request assistance from nursing staff.
Conclusions:
- Patient perceptions significantly impact fall risk and help-seeking behaviors.
- Addressing patient apathy, self-blame, and perceived burden on staff is essential for fall prevention.
- Improved communication and education are needed to enhance patient engagement in fall prevention.
