Learning to assess the fall risk in clinical nursing education: an interpretative study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Education
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Falls pose a significant health challenge for older adults, impacting their quality of life.
• Effective fall risk assessment is crucial for implementing preventive strategies.
• Limited research exists on how healthcare professionals acquire skills in fall risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how nursing undergraduate students develop skills in assessing fall risk in older adults during hospital clinical placements.
• To understand the learning process of fall risk assessment within the context of nursing education.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing an interpretive paradigm.
• Focus groups conducted with Bachelor of Nursing students.
• Qualitative data analyzed using WebQDA® software for rigor.

Main Results:

• Students primarily focus on physical, mobility, and cognitive factors in fall risk assessment, as guided by supervisors.
• A disconnect was observed between assessment, individualized interventions, and translating records into preventive actions.
• Learning is largely based on observation and supervisor influence, with gaps in understanding the rationale.

Conclusions:

• Nursing students' learning of fall risk assessment is predominantly observational and influenced by supervisors.
• There's a need to enhance the understanding of the correlation between identified risks and intervention strategies.
• Strengthening training for both students and healthcare professionals is essential for effective fall risk management.