Educating health professionals to optimise falls screening in hospitals: protocol for a mixed methods study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality and Safety
• Medical Education
• Gerontology

Background:

• Hospital falls pose a significant patient safety risk, often underestimated by patients and clinicians.
• Current falls risk assessment relies on standardized tools, but a clinical reasoning approach may be more effective.
• This study addresses the need for improved clinician education in falls risk screening and prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of a clinician education program focused on falls risk screening and management using clinical reasoning.
• To enhance clinician knowledge, motivation, and confidence in implementing falls prevention strategies.
• To examine healthcare professionals' perceptions of the educational intervention.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods pre- and post-test design with semi-structured interviews will be employed.
• Two cohorts of nurses and allied health professionals from five Australian hospitals will participate.
• The study utilizes Keller's Model of Motivational Design and Kirkpatrick's evaluation framework.

Main Results:

• The study aims to quantify the impact of the education program on clinician knowledge of evidence-based falls prevention.
• It is predicted that the program will lead to positive behavioral changes in healthcare professionals.
• Improved patient outcomes are anticipated as a result of enhanced clinical practice.

Conclusions:

• The findings will demonstrate the effectiveness of a targeted clinician education program in improving falls prevention.
• The study will provide insights into refining educational strategies for healthcare professionals across various hospital settings.
• Positive behavioral and organizational changes are expected, ultimately enhancing patient safety.