Predictors of parent's knowledge of hospital‐based pediatric falls

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to validate and to determine the individual characteristics and demographic factors associated with parents' knowledge of hospital-based pediatric falls and to identify parent populations more likely to report low levels of falls-related knowledge. Design: Validation of a questionnaire and a cross-sectional survey design. Methods: Parents (n = 200) of hospitalized children admitted to a tertiary specialist pediatric hospital in Australia completed an online questionnaire. Parents were asked to rate their hospital-based falls knowledge using a Likert scale (1-5). The questionnaire was administered to parents across six hospital wards, 1 day a week, from May to August 2019. Validation of the questionnaire involved factor analyses and reliability tests. Finally, descriptive analysis measured parents' knowledge, and a multivariate logistic regression analysis reported factors associated with parents' falls knowledge. All data were analyzed in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (V27). Ethical approval was received for all stages.Results: The final version of the parent knowledge of falls (PKOF) questionnaire consisted of 23 questions across five domains (Cronbach α = .929-.70). Parents' knowledge of hospital-based falls ranged from 2.5 to 4.5, while knowledge that children may fall during parental presence rated the lowest score. Knowledge of inpatient falls was higher if their child had a high risk of falls (odds ratio [OR]: 2.1, p = .04) and they were Australian-born parents (OR: 1.9, p = .05).Practice Implications: The PKOF questionnaire is an evidence-based instrument developed for a pediatric hospital setting. Findings highlight knowledge gaps and parent groups with the highest risk of having inadequate hospital-based falls knowledge. The questionnaire enables pediatric nurses and educators to measure parents' knowledge of hospital-based falls accurately and consistently, and so to identify gaps and, subsequently, develop, implement, and evaluate falls education using an evidence-based approach.

Incidence of falls and fall-related characteristics in hospitalized children in South Korea: a descriptive study

“…Because most parent were present in fall events of child, parent presence is not protective against the falls of their children in hospital [ 20 , 21 ]. Actually, the parents’ knowledge that children may fall during parental presence rated the lowest score in Australia [ 22 ]. This emphasizes the importance of evaluating whether parents have accurate knowledge and perception of child falls and educating them.…”

“…This suggests that there is a possibility that falls may occur as the hospitalization date passes, along with the consequences of falling even though the caregiver resides. This can be attributed to the caregivers’ complacency according to the familiarity of the hospital environment and lack of awareness of the risk of falls [ 22 , 23 ]. Therefore, fall prevention education for hospitalized children should not be limited to the early stages of hospitalization but should continue throughout hospitalization, and continuous education and observation are required to ensure the awareness and attention of caregivers concerning fall events [ 12 ].…”

Development of an evidence‐based care bundle protocol for preventing falls in hospitalized children: Delphi study and trial test

“…Studies have shown that the risk factors for falls in hospitalized children are multifaceted (AlSowailmi et al, 2018;Parker et al, 2020;Kim & Lee, 2021) and comprehensive multifaceted intervention measures should be taken (Liu & Shang, 2021;Sheppard-Law et al, 2022). At present, the nursing measures to prevent falls in hospitalized children mainly include fall risk assessment, using the high-risk sign/sticker, close observation, assistance during children′s ambulation, family and staff education, composition of a safe environment and never leaving the child alone .…”

“…A fall is “a sudden, unintentional descent, with or without injury to the patient that results in the patient coming to rest on the floor, on or against some other surface, on another person, or an object” (National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI), 2020). Studies have shown that the risk factors for falls in hospitalized children are multifaceted (AlSowailmi et al, 2018; Parker et al, 2020; Kim & Lee, 2021) and comprehensive multifaceted intervention measures should be taken (Liu & Shang, 2021; Sheppard‐Law et al, 2022). At present, the nursing measures to prevent falls in hospitalized children mainly include fall risk assessment, using the high‐risk sign/sticker, close observation, assistance during children′s ambulation, family and staff education, composition of a safe environment and never leaving the child alone (Kim, Kim, & Lim, 2021).…”