Date of Award

2014-05-01

Degree Name

PhD Nursing

Dissertation Committee

Cynthia D. Connelly, PhD, RN, FAAN, Chairperson; Jane M. Georges, PhD, RN; Laurie A. Ecoff, PhD, RN, NEA-BC

Keywords

hospital fall prevention, interactive patient care technology, nursing, patient self-assessment

Abstract

The impact of patient engagement in hospital fall prevention using interactive patient care technology is not known. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the engagement of hospitalized patients in a computer-based, interactive patient care fall prevention pathway, comprised of a self-assessment of fall risk questionnaire and a fall prevention video, and hospital fall outcomes. The aims were to 1) formulate an interactive patient care technology conceptual framework to guide the study, 2) provide reliability and validity evidence for a patient self-assessment of fall risk questionnaire, and 3) explore the relationship between the fall prevention pathway engagement characteristics and a fall outcome. A conceptual framework for interactive patient care technology was developed and applied to the research investigation. The methodology included a retrospective, cross-sectional design using a convenience sample of 120 subjects to establish preliminary reliability and validity evidence for the patient self- assessment of fall risk questionnaire, and a matched 1:4 case-control design using 73 cases and 292 controls to examine the relationship between the fall prevention pathway engagement characteristics and a fall outcome. Findings indicated the patient self-assessment of fall risk questionnaire is reliable, with a Cronbach's alpha of .73, and valid, with a statistically significant correlation to the nurses fall risk assessment tool, r (118) = .45, p < .001. Using conditional logistic regression, length of stay, number of automatic video prompts, and fall prevention video completion status were significantly associated with a hospital fall. As length of stay increased by one day, the odds of a fall were 11% higher. With each additional automatic video prompt, the odds of a fall increased by a factor of 1.58. Cases were .38 times less likely to complete the fall prevention video than to complete it. Conclusions included an interactive fall prevention pathway promoted engagement and engagement at the empowerment level (video completion) prevented a fall. Limitations of this investigation included the use of secondary data, subject related assumptions, and the inability to generalize due to site, technology, and sample. This investigation contributes new knowledge regarding patient engagement in hospital fall prevention using interactive patient care technology.

Document Type

Dissertation: Open Access

Department

Nursing

Download

Included in

Nursing Commons

Share

COinS