PICOT: Fall Prevention

Chungah Park

Grand Canyon University

NRS 493

Jazine Collins

3/13/2022

Patient falls are a significant problem prevalent in healthcare organizations that negatively impacts patient’s quality of care. Studies show that almost a million ailing individuals fall while receiving medical care in healthcare facilities. The issue is worth investigating because it may precipitate negative outcomes such as internal bleeding and fractures that may increase the duration of patients' stay in hospitals and inflate the cost of treatment (LeLaurin et al., 2018). Therefore, it is necessary to find evidence-based interventions that will enhance the safety of patients by preventing falls. The PICOT question that will aid in finding an effective intervention is: In geriatric Hispanic patients, how effective is screening patients for risk of falls compared to not screening them in reducing incidences of falls in a period of six months? Evidently, the PICOT question is a significant model that will help determine an evidence-based nursing intervention that will improve patient care and positively portray a healthcare agency and the nursing practice.

P: Hispanic population based on this organization’s demographic

I: Fall risk assessment using right tools and educate patients regarding fall risks

C: What is other organization’s policy regarding prevention of fall

O: Fall incidents less than 3

T: 6 months

Evidence-Based Solution

Members of the Hispanic population are vulnerable to chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes which may lead them highly likely to be hospitalized due to the conditions. Therefore, they are the population that is disproportionately impacted by falls in the healthcare setting and specifically to this organization. Studies show that screening patients for falls are an effective procedure that reduces falls in hospitalized patients (Guirguis-Blake et al., 2019). It helps identify the ailing individuals at a high risk of falling, such as those who has history of frequent falls, syncopal episodes, those with a poor posture, and those with a poor gait secondary to comorbidities. Adequate measures are then put in place to ensure that these vulnerable individuals do not fall, such as activate bed alarms, educate patients to use call lights, educate regarding fall risk and possible prolonged hospitalization secondary to fall.

Nursing Intervention

Nursing interventions such as screening patients for falls are effective models for preventing patient falls in the clinical setting. This is because nurses are the primary caregivers of patients; hence their role in ensuring their safety is fundamental (Guirguis-Blake et al., 2018). Therefore, instilling a measure that will place nurses at the forefront of preventing patient falls is guaranteed to elicit positive outcomes in the treatment process. It is important that a nurse utilizes the tool to assess patient’s mobility before ambulating a patient. A nurse can use a tool such as BMAT (Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool) to determine the appropriate patient handling and mobility equipment or device to safely move or mobilize the patient (Perez, n.d). It is also imperative to educate patients regarding fall risks to prevent further damage to patient and follow up with evaluation of education by instructing them to verbalize and demonstrate the teaching. Patients will also benefit from prevention of fall if a nurse orient a patient to the room when they first get admitted. A nurse can activate bed alarm, utilize care view monitor, instruct them on how to use a call light when need help, stay with a patient until their business is done, and be quick to answer call lights to further prevent falls.

Health Care Agency

Healthcare agencies are tasked with the critical role of caring for ailing individuals. They are required to ensure that patients elicit positive outcomes during treatment processes. However, aspects such as patient falls reduce the effectiveness of services provided by healthcare agencies. Therefore, it is necessary to use evidence-based protocols such as preventing patients' falls through interventions such as screening them for susceptibility to falls to prevent the negative occurrences and increasing the quality of care they receive (LeLaurin et al., 2019). The PICOT question will help unveil the evidence that can be applied in the clinical setting.

Nursing Practice

Identifying a problem and implementing interventions to advocate for patients is one of the most important tasks in nursing practice. Using the PICOT question to obtain evidence that will be applied in preventing falls in the clinical setting is a significant aspect that will ensure that the nursing practice is identified as a dependable profession that ensures that ailing individuals are cared for well. It will show that the nurses are at the forefront of ensuring that the nation's health goals are met by using effective nursing interventions to ensure that patients receive quality care that aligns with their dynamic needs (Guirguis-Blake et al., 2018).

References

Guirguis-Blake, J. M., Michael, Y. L., Perdue, L. A., Coppola, E. L., & Beil, T. L. (2018). Interventions to prevent falls in older adults: updated evidence report and systematic review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. Jama, 319(16), 1705-1716.

LeLaurin, J. H., & Shorr, R. I. (2019). Preventing falls in hospitalized patients: state of the science. Clinics in geriatric medicine, 35(2), 273-283.

Perez, A. (n.d.). BMAT- bedside mobility assessment tool – UCLA health. Retrieved March 13, 2022, from