Perspective of Fall Risk in Nursing

Running head: PERSPECTIVE OF FALL RISK IN NURSING 1
Perspective of Fall Risk in Nursing
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Perspective of Fall Risk in Nursing

PERSPECTIVE OF FALL RISK IN NURSING 2
The risk for falls is a very common phenomenon in several hospitals worldwide. It is not
only a problem but has severe consequences as it results in physical injuries to the patient and
consequently more cost of medication as compared to if the falls were prevented. The
phenomenon of falls risk has been examined by different scholars in order to assess the
individual and environmental factors that constitute a patient’s safety. The occurrence of falls has
resulted in increased mortality rates. According to CDC, the geriatric population, for example,
constitutes the most expensive form of personal injury with fall-related care exceeding $19
billion per year (Centers for Disease Control 2011). This makes it a healthcare issue requiring
immediate action. It has adverse damaging effects and thus the increased emphasis on
recognizing fall risk as a strategy for preventing falls. This paper focuses on risk fall as a critical
nursing strategy of minimizing fall to inpatients. Also, the paper aims at analyzing the concept of
risk fall using Walker and Avant 2011 method of analysis so as to gain more insight into this
catastrophic concept.
Walker and Avant devised a framework that is very resourceful when analyzing concepts.
The same framework will be used in analyzing fall risk as a concept in nursing. Walker and
Avant, notes that “the 8 steps of the framework includes choosing a concept, identifying the aims
of the analysis, determining the uses of the concept, defining attributes which are the heart of the
analysis, constructing a model case, constructing a borderline cases, related and contrary cases,
identifying antecedents and their consequences and finally, defining empirical referents” (Walker
and Avant, p.23). The concept analysis method, which is a modification of Wilson’s 11-step
method, will be used because of its precision when it comes to analyzing concepts. It is not only
classical but also traditional and clearly differentiates the opinions amongst individuals carrying
out analysis on similar concepts. The method is deployed because of its straightforward approach

PERSPECTIVE OF FALL RISK IN NURSING 3
in the analysis. The approach streamlines Wilson’s methods making it more refined in analyzing
concepts.
Risk fall is the concept under analysis because of its prevalence in the healthcare units.
Little studies have been done and thus the need for more work as the probabilities of its
occurrences are still high in the hospitals. Jacob (2014) conducted a concept analysis on risk for
cancer. Additionally, several studies have been conducted on falls in a healthcare setting with
different strategies being set aside to prevent as well as reduce incidences of patient falls in these
places. These studies shed more light on the conditions on the ground and indicate why there is
the need for this concept analysis. The concept does not only affect the patients who in this case
are the victims but also has a broad effect and application to the nursing literature. Indeed, it is
the responsibility of any nurse and other medical practitioners to ensure that every patient is safe
while within the healthcare unit. With the rising rates of morbidity and mortality among culprits,
there is the need for a risk fall concept analysis. The objectives of the analysis is to help
understand the concept of risk fall by expounding on the groundwork as was conducted by Jacob.
Originally, the use of the concept risk fall was primarily applied to signify the incidence
of fall to the ground by a person. The fall could be accidental or intentional but in this respect,
the paper is concerned with accidental falls whose occurrence cannot be predicted. Later, the
term risk analysis came into play illustrating a systematic investigating and forecasting of risk in
businesses and in commerce. Different combinations have taken place since then some of them
being, risk-taking, risk factors, risk management and consequently risk fall. Apart from the
traditional use of the concept, the term risk fall is found appropriate in literature. Review of the
different philosophy, nursing, ethics, sociology, education, and economics found a wide use of
this concept though it is rarely defined in the different disciplines (Degelau et al., 2012).

PERSPECTIVE OF FALL RISK IN NURSING 4
According to nursing diagnosis association, the risk of falls is a categorized as a nursing
diagnosis which increases susceptibility to fall and may result in physical harm. As the word
suggests, risk is the possibility or the likelihood that a certain loss or danger will occur while a
fall, on the other hand, is an accidental or sometimes intentional occurrence in which the patient
inadvertently comes to a rest on the ground. In nursing, falls are considered accidental or
unexpected and as such, there is a high potential for injuries (Harvey et al., 2010). The concept is
however not limited to the medical field but spreads over the different fields.
In the year 2010, the emergency department treated approximately 2.3 million citizens
from incidents of fall and a quarter of these population was hospitalized. Inpatient fall prevention
has been an individual area of concern in the last 50 years but when it comes to patients in the
healthcare units’, nurses have the sole responsibility of ensuring that the patients are safe and
free from falls. In the past, incident reports in the hospitals deemed falls as avoidable and for that
reason, were considered as adverse occurrences (Titler et al., 2011). Underreporting is likely to
happen and particularly in no injury is associated with the fall.
To comfortably manage falls, there is the need to identify residents or patients who are
most vulnerable to falls. Intentional rounding has proved to reduce falls by 60% in most hospitals
and inpatient settings. During this rounding practice, nurses and other hospital staff address the
concerns of their patients and this could be through repositioning, toileting and making patients
related goodies more accessible so as to prevent any risk of fall while trying to retrieve the items.
These items may include, phones, magazines etc.
Consistently, the literature shows the fall fatality rate is at 36.8 out of a 100,000
Americans at the age 65 years and above. Most of these falls are associated with minor soft
tissue injuries for example bruises and scrapes. Only about 10-15% of them result in fractures