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Preventing Patient Falls Overnight Using Video Monitoring: A Clinical Evaluation
journal contribution
posted on 2023-02-13, 01:22 authored by R Woltsche, L Mullan, Karen Wynter, Bodil RasmussenBodil RasmussenInpatient falls are devastating for patients and their families and an ongoing problem for healthcare providers worldwide. Inpatient falls overnight are particularly difficult to predict and prevent. The aim of this cohort study was to evaluate effectiveness of overnight portable video monitoring as an adjunct falls prevention strategy for high falls risk patients in inpatient clinical units. Over three months, three clinical inpatient wards were provided with baby monitor equipment to facilitate portable video monitoring. Portable video monitoring registers were completed nightly and nursing staff were invited to complete surveys (n = 31) to assess their experiences of using portable video monitoring. A total of 494 episodes of portable video monitoring were recorded over the three-month period, with clinical areas reporting a total of four inpatient falls from monitoring participants (0.8% of total portable video monitoring episodes). Overall, there was a statistically significant reduction in total inpatient falls overnight on the target wards. Surveyed nursing staff reported feeling better equipped to prevent falls and indicated they would like to continue using portable monitoring as a falls prevention strategy. This study provides evidence to support the use of portable video monitoring as an effective falls prevention strategy in the hospital environment.
History
Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public HealthVolume
19Article number
ARTN 13735Location
SwitzerlandPublisher DOI
ISSN
1661-7827eISSN
1660-4601Language
EnglishIssue
21Publisher
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No categories selectedKeywords
Science & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicineEnvironmental SciencesPublic, Environmental & Occupational HealthEnvironmental Sciences & Ecologyaccidental fallshospitalsprevention and controlvideo monitoringportablefalls preventioninpatient fallsinjuriesNURSESCAREBEDRISKHumansCohort StudiesInpatientsHospitalsMonitoring, PhysiologicPediatric Research InitiativeClinical Trials and Supportive ActivitiesPatient SafetyInjury (total) Accidents/Adverse EffectsAgingHealth ServicesPreventionClinical Research