Evaluating the validity of select fall risk assessment tools in hospitalized elderly

Česká verzia

Authors: Jedlinská; M ¹; I. Holmerová ²
Authors place of work: Univerzita Pardubice, Fakulta zdravotnických studií, Katedra ošetřovatelství, Vedoucí: Mgr. Eva Hlaváčková, Ph. D. ¹; Gerontologické centrum v Praze 8, Ředitelka: doc. MUDr. Iva Holmerová, Ph. D. ²
Published in the journal: Prakt. Lék. 2012; 92(7): 392-395
Category: Of different specialties

Summary

The goal of this pilot study was to assess the validity of the three selected screening tools that assess the risk of falls in hospitalized elderly patients in acute care settings. Validity was assessed using sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive values. The research sample consisted of 122 hospitalized seniors, whose risk of falling was assessed using the Mors Fall Scale (further MFS), the modified scale patient/client fall risk assessment index by Jurásková (further Jurásková 2006) and Screening test for fall risk assessment to identify patients at high risk of falling (further STRP). Subsequently, it was observed whether the patients fell or not. The research methods used were interviews with patients, the study of written documents and observations.

The results identified a sensitivity of 91% of MFS, Jurásková 2006 100%, STRP 100%. Specificity was at MFS 2%, Jurásková 2006 7%, STRP 2%. MFS Positive predictive value 17%, Jurásková 2006 18%, STRP 17%. MFS 50% Negative predictive value, Jurásková 2006 100%, STRP100%.

The results suggest that further research is required aimed not only at verifying the functionality of the assessment tools used, but also to assess the risk factors used in all three instruments. Evaluating the risk factors in a specific population of hospitalized elderly could lead to the creation of a new tool, or the modification of an existing index, which would be functional and easily applicable for Czech Geriatric Nursing.

Key words:
risk of falling, fall, assessment tool, validity, senior, hospitalization

Zdroje

1. Conley, D. The challenge of predicting patients at risk for falling: Development of the Conley scale. MEDSURG Nursing, 1999, 8(6), p. 348–354.

2. Česká asociace sester. Národní indikátory kvality péče [online]. 2008 [cit. 22.6.2011]. Dostupný z WWW: http://www.cnna.cz/pady/.

3. Eagle, J., Salamara, S., Whitman, D., Evans, L.A. Comparison of three instruments in predicting accidental falls in selected inpatients in a general teaching hospital. J Gerontol Nurs, 1999, 25(7), p. 40–45.

Dostupný z WWW: http://www.ashfordstpeters. nhs.uk/attachments/1574_Patient%20Falls%20Policy.pdf.

4. Charvátová, P., Jurásková, D. Pád pacienta jako indikátor kvality péče. Lékařské listy, 2004, 53(41), s. 21–25.

5. Jedlinská, M., Burdychová, J. Využití screeningových metod hodnotících riziko pádu u geriatrických pacientů v praxi. XVI. Královéhradecké ošetřovatelské dny. Sborník přednášek. Hradec Králové: NUCLEUS HK, 2010, s. 32–33.

6. Jedlinská, M., Králová. H. Prevence pádů geriatrických pacientů ve zdravotnických zařízeních - porovnání screeningových metod. Kvalita a bezpečí zdravotní péče – výzvy pro druhé desetiletí. Praha: Spojená akreditační komise, 2010.

7. Joint Commission Resources. Prevence pádů ve zdravotnickém zařízení. Praha: Grada Publishing, a.s., 2007. 172 s. ISBN 978-80-347-1715-9.

8. Kim EA, Mordiffi SZ, Bee WH, et al. Evaluation of three fall-risk assessment tools in an acute care setting. J Adv Nurs, 2007, 60(4), p. 427–435.

9. Morse, J.M., Morse, R.M., Tylko, S.J. Development of a scale to identify the fall-prone patient. Can J Aging, 1989, 8(4), p. 366–377.

10. Morse, M. J. Preventing patient falls: establishing a fall intervention program. 2nd ed. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-8261-0389-5.

11. O’Connell, B. The sensitivity and specificity of the Morse Fall Scale in an acute care petting. J Clin Nurs, 2002, 11(1), p. 134–136.

12. Papaioannou, A., Parkinson, W., Cook, R. et al. Prediction of falls using a risk assessment tool in the acute care setting. BMC Med., published online 2004 January 21. doi: 10.1186/1741-7015-2-1

13. Schwendimann, R., De Geest, S., Milisen, K. Evaluation of the Morse falls scale in hospitalised older patients. Age Ageing, 2006, 35(3), p. 311–313.