Health News Archive
In-Hospital Neck of Femur Fractures Increased Mortality
A study at a British university hospital retrospectively reviewed neck of femur fracture cases that occurred between January 2010 and December 2012. The goal of the study was to determine whether inpatient and outpatient falls resulting in neck of femur fracture had different outcomes. A total of 1,156 patients fell an
Falls Screening in England and Wales
Recognizing an urgent need to prevent inpatient falls in mental health settings, the Oxford Health National Health Foundation Trust led a review of the National Health Service mental trusts in England and health care boards in Wales. Fall risk prevention tools and policies were evaluated for alignment with the 2004 Nat
Challenges in Defining Inpatient Falls in the NDNQI
Inpatient falls data have been collected in the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) since 2003. Different types of care units have contributed data since that time, including adult critical care, step-down, medical, surgical, and medical-surgical. In 2012, a team from the University of Kansas revise
Safety Culture Related to Nursing Processes and Patient Outcomes
Nine hospitals and 37 nursing units participated in a recent study that explored the relationship between nursing metrics, patient outcomes, and safety culture. The Affordable Care Act of 2009 drew attention to the need for high-quality healthcare for Americans and to the costs of preventable conditions such as errors
Inpatient Falls During Post-Stroke Rehabilitation
Patients with stroke present specific challenges with regard to inpatient falls prevention.1-3 Risk factors associated with falls in post-stroke patients1 and the type of falls experienced2 differ from other inpatients. A new falls assessment tool, the Stroke Assessment of Fall Risk (SAFR) considers factors relevant to
Falls Lengthen Hospital Stays, Even in Uninjured Patients
A new Canadian study revealed that inpatient falls lengthen hospital stays for all patients, regardless of degree of injury. The retrospective observational study at a 728-bed acute care teaching hospital compared 292 patients who fell with 330 control patients. Controls were selected on the basis of case mix, gender,