TY - JOUR
T1 - Reducing serious fall-related injuries in acute hospitals: are low-low beds a critical success factor?
AU - Barker, Anna
AU - Kamar, Jeannette
AU - Tyndall, Tamara
AU - Hill, Keith
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - This article is a report of a study of associations between occurrence of serious fall-related injuries and implementation of low-low beds at The Northern Hospital, Victoria, Australia. Background. A 9-year evaluation at The Northern Hospital found an important reduction in fall-related injuries after the 6-PACK falls prevention program was implemented. Low-low beds are a key component of the 6-PACK that aims to decrease fall-related injuries. Design. A retrospective cohort study. Methods. Retrospective audit of The Northern Hospital inpatients admitted between 1999-2009. Changes in serious fall-related injuries throughout the period and associations with available low-low beds were analysed using Poisson regression. Results. During the observation of 356,158 inpatients, there were 3946 falls and 1005 fall-related injuries of which 60 (5-9 ) were serious (55 fractures and five subdural haematomas). Serious fall-related injuries declined significantly throughout the period. When there was one low-low bed to nine or more standard beds there was no statistically significant decrease in serious fall-related injuries. An important reduction only occurred when there was one low-low bed to three standard beds. Conclusion. The 6-PACK program has been in place since 2002 at The Northern Hospital. Throughout this time serious fall-related injuries have decreased. There appears to be an association between serious fall-related injuries and the number of available low-low beds. Threshold numbers of these beds may be required to achieve optimal usability and effectiveness. A randomized controlled trial is required to give additional evidence for use of low-low beds for injury prevention in hospitals
AB - This article is a report of a study of associations between occurrence of serious fall-related injuries and implementation of low-low beds at The Northern Hospital, Victoria, Australia. Background. A 9-year evaluation at The Northern Hospital found an important reduction in fall-related injuries after the 6-PACK falls prevention program was implemented. Low-low beds are a key component of the 6-PACK that aims to decrease fall-related injuries. Design. A retrospective cohort study. Methods. Retrospective audit of The Northern Hospital inpatients admitted between 1999-2009. Changes in serious fall-related injuries throughout the period and associations with available low-low beds were analysed using Poisson regression. Results. During the observation of 356,158 inpatients, there were 3946 falls and 1005 fall-related injuries of which 60 (5-9 ) were serious (55 fractures and five subdural haematomas). Serious fall-related injuries declined significantly throughout the period. When there was one low-low bed to nine or more standard beds there was no statistically significant decrease in serious fall-related injuries. An important reduction only occurred when there was one low-low bed to three standard beds. Conclusion. The 6-PACK program has been in place since 2002 at The Northern Hospital. Throughout this time serious fall-related injuries have decreased. There appears to be an association between serious fall-related injuries and the number of available low-low beds. Threshold numbers of these beds may be required to achieve optimal usability and effectiveness. A randomized controlled trial is required to give additional evidence for use of low-low beds for injury prevention in hospitals
UR - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.lib.monash.edu.au/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.05997.x/pdf
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.05997.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.05997.x
M3 - Article
VL - 69
SP - 112
EP - 121
JO - Journal of Advanced Nursing
JF - Journal of Advanced Nursing
SN - 0309-2402
IS - 1
ER -