IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INPATIENT ONCOLOGY FALL PREVENTION PROGRAM TO IMPROVE NURSING KNOWLEDGE AND PATIENT AND CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT

• Published in: Oncology nursing forum Vol. 50; no. 2; pp. B37 - B38
• Main Authors: Berizzi, Donna, Sipe, Margie, Olsen, MiKaela, Campbell, Yanka, McInerney, Nicole
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pittsburgh Oncology Nursing Society 01.03.2023
• Subjects: Caregivers; Education; Falls; Injury prevention; Knowledge; Nurses; Oncology; Patient safety; Prevention programs; Risk assessment
• ISSN: 0190-535X; 1538-0688

Despite current fall risk assessment standards and ongoing prevention strategies, hospitalized oncology patient falls continue to be a significant safety problem, with NDNQI rates consistently exceeding benchmark. Often, oncology patients experience a sudden onset of their disease or related symptoms, contributing to difficulty reconciling their new health status. Hospitalized and previously healthy and independent individuals may experience a rapid decline in condition, leading to a change in independence with activities of daily living. Unanticipated physical and cognitive changes cause oncology patients to overestimate their functional abilities. Fall risk assessment and implementation of a fall prevention plan must include a knowledgeable oncology nurse and the involvement of patients and caregivers in the risk prevention interventions. The purpose was to improve nursing knowledge and compliance with fall risk assessment and prevention plans while engaging oncology patients and their caregivers in fall mitigation strategies. The evidence-based Fall Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety (TIPS)™ Toolkit, which utilizes a multi-pronged approach to reduce patient falls, will be implemented for fall prevention. Daily communication of fall risk and prevention strategies will include patients, caregivers and team members. A validated evidence-based Fall Prevention Knowledge Test (FPKT) administered to oncology nurses prior to and after the implementation of the toolkit, will guide an educational program to improve fall knowledge and patient risk identification. Compliance with toolkit implementation and patient and caregiver engagement will be measured using the TIPS audit tool ™. Pre-education baseline knowledge survey scores from one hundred and twenty-two inpatient oncology nurses indicated that nurses were overconfident in their ability to identify a patient's risk for falls and to implement an individual fall prevention plan with their patients and caregivers. A survey will be repeated post education and following the rollout of the toolkit with the patients and caregivers to determine education efficacy. Patient falls and falls with injury will be reduced following the implementation of the staff education and fall prevention program. Patient engagement allows collaboration with the fall assessment, risk identification, and interventions to be a shared responsibility. A successful fall prevention program incorporates improved nurse and patient knowledge, communication, and a shared strategy to keep our patients safe.