Fall prevention among adult surgical patients in Tabriz, Iran: a best practice implementation project

Abstract

Introduction: Falling out of bed is the most common unintentional cause of injury among patients and is a major safety problem in health care facilities. Current practices for fall prevention may not always be aligned with established best practices, leading to variability in patient outcomes. This uncertainty underscores the need to assess and improve compliance with best practice guidelines for fall prevention. Objectives: This project aimed to improve fall prevention in the surgical ward of a general hospital in Tabriz, Iran. Methods: This study was guided by the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework. A baseline audit was conducted using eleven audit criteria representing best practices for fall prevention. After the implementation of improvement strategies, a follow-up audit was conducted to evaluate changes in practice. Results: The results revealed significant improvements, notably, fall risk assessment upon admission (87% to 92%), fall risk assessment upon ward transfer (39% to 79%), patient participation in fall risk assessment (26% to 68%), reassessment upon change in condition (53% to 74%), communicating fall prevention information to at-risk patients and their families/caregivers (42% to 63%), engagement of patients (100% to 100%), implementation of targeted strategies (89% to 92%), post-fall assessment and interventions (82% to 87%), revising patient fall risk status and reviewing care management plan (41% to 74%), fall prevention information to patients and their families/caregivers upon discharge (44% to 66%), and person-centered education of health care professionals (77% to 81%). Conclusion: The use of standard clinical audit tools in hospitals can improve the quality of patient care and increase the effectiveness of interventions by identifying weaknesses in the patient care process. Spanish abstract: http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A283