Improving the Evaluation of Risk of Fall through Clinical Supervision: An Evidence

AbstractFalls are frequent adverse hospital events and the second accidental cause of death worldwide. In previous research we identified that nurses have difficulties in the application of the Morse Fall Scale (MFS) and in the falls prevention protocol. A quantitative, descriptive and correlational study was conducted with the purpose to improve nurses’ skills to evaluate patients’ risk of fall and to improve patient safety and the quality of nursing care through the implementation of a clinical supervision (CS) model. We had a convenience sample constituted by 132 patients who were hospitalized between the 19th of March and the 19th of May 2014. We collected data through several procedures such as the application of a questionnaire to assess the risk of fall and the parameterization defined in the nursing records system. The MFS was correctly applied in 69,2% and the risk of fall was monitored each 48hours in 98,5% of the cases while in the previous research only in 33,3% and 84,1% this happened respectively. With this study we point out the improvement in the assessment and monitoring of the risk of fall with the MFS and its relationship with the implemented CS model