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Metas de Enfermería

Metas de Enfermería

NOVIEMBRE 2007 N° 9 Volumen 10

Monitoring falls as an adverse event in hospitalised patients

Section: Health and quality of life

How to quote

Santos-Laraña MA et al. Monitorización de las caídas como efecto adverso en pacientes hospitalizados. Metas de Enferm nov 2007; 10(9): 18-22

Authors

1Mª Ángeles Santos Laraña, 2Mª Ujué Clavería Aranguren, 3Carmen Ollobarren Huarte, 2Carmen Agote Cuesta, 2Cristina Domínguez

Position

1Enfermera. Profesora Titular de Escuela Universitaria. Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Pública de Navarra.2Enfermeras del Hospital de Navarra.3Diplomada en Enfermería. Directora de Enfermería del Hospital de Navarra.

Contact address

Universidad Pública de Navarra. Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud. Avenida Barañáin, s/n. 31008 Pamplona (Navarra).

Contact email: angeles.santos@unavarra.es

Abstract

This wok addresses hospital falls as a preventable adverse event and was undertaken by the importance that clinical safety is taking within the framework of a quality culture of healthcare services.
Objective: to monitor falls and to determine the main causes that make patients fall at the Internal Medicine and Endocrinology Unit at the Hospital de Navarra.
Methodology: a register was designed which encompassed data referring to the patient, to the actual fall, the context within the fall occurred, and its consequences. The study period ranged from november 2002 to april 2005 and the study population was composed of admitted patients in the unit over that period of time.
Results: 92 falls occurred with a 2% incidence in the referred Unit. Patients with pathologies of the respiratory system, circulatory system and those with blood disorders and diseases sustained more falls. The greatest number of falls occurred during the first hours of the night shift and first hours of the morning shift, the event being related to contextual factors, patient activity and type of drug taken. Only in two cases, the fall had important consequences, but these were severe and costly.
Conclusions: once the risk factors have been identified, prevention measures need to be put into effect to prevent patients from falling. The objective is to avoid a risk which could have very serious and costly consequences, and the management of which involves commitment and a proactive attitude from the nursing team and the collaboration of the patients and their carers.

Keywords:

falls; adverse effect; patient safety; risk factors; hospitalisationelderly

Versión en Español

Título:

Monitorización de las caídas como efecto adverso en pacientes hospitalizados