ABSTRACT

This study planned todetermine awareness of nurses about patient falls.

The study conducted on 100 nurses who work in intensive care units of a hospital. Data collected by questionnaire and observation forms. Researcher observed intensive care units confidentially and then questionnaires drew by nurses in the way that self reported under the supervision. Questionnaire consisted by introductory information, queries concern with patient falls and a case sample and two queries about it.

Nurses, majority of them women (63%), graduated high school or associate degree (61%) and working has been intensive care units for 4 months- 5 years (83%), have been caring 1-5 patient daily (67%). Majority of nurses think that, prevention patient fall is primarily her own responsible and secondarily almoners’. They known utmost sex headlight (18%) from among Hendrick scale headlights. The most frequent method is patient restriction applied by nurses for prevention patient falls. Four risk factor among from expected to assign 14 and three precautions among from expected to assign 14 were known by 25% of nurses. Assigned risk factors (mean 1.3) and precautions (1.9) per person were low. Some environmental risk factors in terms of fall were determined in intensive care units.

It is concluded that awareness about of patient fall is not sufficiently. Comprehensive continuing education on risk factors and preventive strategies for patient falls, also collaborate each health professionals for constitute a patient safety culture were suggested.

Keywords: Patient safety, patient fall, nursing, intensive care unit