Fall Prevention and Injury Reduction Utilizing Virtual Sitters in Hospitalized Patients: A Literature Review.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare technology
• Patient safety
• Nursing research

Background:

• Hospital-associated falls and injuries remain a significant global concern.
• Virtual sitters utilizing video monitoring present a novel, cost-effective intervention strategy.
• Existing literature on this intervention requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evidence on hospital-associated falls and fall-related injuries with virtual sitter interventions.
• To assess the effectiveness of video monitoring and virtual sitters in patient safety.
• To evaluate the reported cost savings associated with virtual sitter implementation.

Main Methods:

• A literature review was conducted.
• Included ten observational and two quasi-experimental studies (N=12).
• Searches were performed in CINAHL, Scopus, and PubMed databases.

Main Results:

• Eight studies reported a reduction in fall rates with virtual sitter use.
• Three studies found no statistical difference in fall rates.
• All 12 studies indicated decreased overall costs when transitioning from 1:1 observation to virtual sitters.

Conclusions:

• Virtual sitters show potential for reducing falls and healthcare costs in hospitals.
• Current evidence is limited by small sample sizes and study numbers.
• Future research should expand patient populations, focus on fall injuries, and examine staff safety.