Inpatient falls: the impact of family and personal caregivers.
The impact of family and personal caregivers on inpatients with fall-related injuries in a Taiwanese medical center is investigated in this study. Taiwan has a prevalent custom for families to accompany their hospitalized loved ones during hospital stays. During the 95-day data collection period, 228 falls occurred. Results showed that if no family members were present when a patient fell, the fall-related injury was less serious. Nurses in Taiwan tend to depend on family members to help provide patient care. Regardless of whether an inpatient has a family member present, frequent bedside nursing visits are important to prevent falls.
Tzeng
Huey-Ming
HM
Division of Nursing Business and Health Systems, University of Michigan, School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. tzeng_hueyming@yahoo.com
Yin
Chang-Yi
CY
D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D032903:Confucianism; D003469:Culture; D022143:Family Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control