Analyzing the Article’s results or conclusions and explaining how the article help answer My EBP question

According to the article, patient sitters are interested in helping healthcare workers prevent falls.  However, their ability to avoid falls is limited because they are unaware of the risk factors for falls, barrier to falls prevention, and solutions to risk factors for falls (de Jong et al.,2020). The article notes that most patient sitters believe that confusion causes patients to fall. Nonetheless, other factors like challenging patient actions like violence are significant barriers to fall prevention. Patient sitters believe that modifying the environmental factors would prevent falls. Although adjusting the healthcare facility’s environment may reduce fall risks, the strategy cannot prevent patients, especially those with delirium or confusion, from engaging in actions that increase their susceptibility to falls.

Most sitters want further education and training to enhance their effectiveness in preventing falls (de Jong et al., 2020). Their desire suggests that targeted training and education are necessary to improve patient sitters’ ability to engage in fall prevention programs. Accordingly, the national guidelines for hospital fall prevention require the training of workers as a significant aspect of fall prevention program. The training program should focus on providing cognitive stimulation, de-escalation techniques, and how to help patients with mobility challenges. Additionally, creating awareness about dementia will help patient sitters offer excellent fall management. The strategy ensures that patient sitters offer individualized fall prevention plans to their patients.

de Jong et al.(2020) also note that multifactorial strategies effectively prevents  hospital falls. However, individual techniques like fall prevention education and balance exercises are effective in reducing falls among patients in rehabilitation centers. Nonetheless, the national fall prevention guidelines mandate healthcare providers to assess patients’ risks and tailor interventions to modify the risk factors and prevent falls. The interventions designed should address each risk factor for falling.  The article’s findings answer my evidence-based question by emphasizing that a no-one-size-fits-all strategy can prevent falls among hospitalized patients. On the contrary, healthcare providers should design fall prevention interventions for each patient’s risk factors. Additionally, the strategies should integrate education and training of patients and healthcare providers to enhance their effectiveness in reducing falls among hospitalized patients. Thus, de Jong et al.(2020) emphasize that multimodal interventions are more effective in preventing falls than single interventions.

C. A Non-Research-Based Article that Answers by Evidence-Based Question

Article: Heng, H., Jazayeri, D., Shaw, L., Kiegaldie, D., Hill, A. M., & Morris, M. E. (2020). Hospital falls prevention with patient education: a scoping review. BMC geriatrics, 20(1), 1-12.  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01515-w

Background of the Research Article

According to the article, hospital falls are a debilitating and common challenge globally. Heng et al. (2020) note that most fall prevention approaches target medication reviews, hospital systems, assistive devices, environmental modifications, and clinician education. However, these strategies do not consider patient’s role in fall prevention. Nonetheless, Heng et al. (2020) note that patients play a vital role in fall prevention despite being given less attention in the hospital setting.  For instance, patient education addresses the mismatch between actual and perceived fall risk in hospitals. 

Healthcare providers use assessment tools like the Hendrich II Fall Risk Model, St. Thomas’s Risk Assessment Tool, and Falls Risk Assessment Tool to assess patients’ risk of falls based on the patient scores. Clinicians apply research evidence and clinical judgment to determine a patient susceptibility to falls. These strategies can help healthcare providers to design person-centered fall prevention interventions.  Regardless of these interventions, some patients engage in behaviors that increase their risk of falling. They include not pressing the bed alarm when wanting to use the washroom or failing to wait for nurses before attempting to move. Some walk without nurses’ supervision, especially when it is unsafe for them to do so. This is true for patients with gait disorders, cognitive impairment, or poor balance who are at increased of falling.  Heng et al. (2020) note that approximately 80% of fall results when patients are not under supervision. Some of the hosp