Revising and evaluating falls prevention education for older adults in hospital

Abstract

Objective: Partnering with patients and staff to develop and evaluate falls prevention education could better enable patient learning and engagement. This study aimed to create a revised version of the Safe Recovery falls prevention education programme in partnership with older patients and hospital staff, to improve patient engagement in undertaking falls preventive strategies in hospital. Design: Two-phase sequential mixed methods participatory design. Setting: Hospital rehabilitation wards in Western Australia. Method: Phase 1: older patients ( n = 10) and staff ( n = 10) were surveyed before and after original programme delivery to ascertain their reaction and learning. Consumer-focused discussions were undertaken with staff and patients online to inform programme revision. A patient video and workbook were co-produced, and staff were trained to deliver the revised programme. Phase 2: older patients ( n = 10) and staff ( n = 10) were surveyed before and after receiving the revised programme to gain reactions and learning. Deductive content analysis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to analyse the qualitative and quantitative data. Results: Patients and staff perceived the original programme to be outdated and expressed low levels of satisfaction with the original resources. In contrast, both patients and staff were highly satisfied with the revised programme. Both original and revised Safe Recovery programme patient groups demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge and awareness to reduce their risk of falling after receiving the education ( p = .008, p = .005, respectively). However, patients receiving the revised programme were significantly more likely to intend to take action ( p = .024) and have a clear action plan ( p = .010). Staff perceived that the revised resources showed significant improvements in aesthetic appeal ( p = .007) and ability to engage patients in learning ( p = .007). Conclusion: Patients and staff contributed to successfully revising the Safe Recovery programme with positive reactions to the co-produced resources. Participating in falls education significantly improved older patients’ knowledge and attitudes regarding falls prevention.