Refined problem and proposed solution

Answer

Refined problem and proposed solution

            The problem is that the proportion of elderly patients is increasing at a phenomenal rate leading to swelling demand for healthcare devices as well as services to extend independent living and accelerate improved health has become an area of concern. In fact, little of modern information technologies are designed to address this critical problem. As persons age, they are increasingly likely to experience impairment in key bodily functioning including cognitive and sensory functions, mobility and physical endurance, and others. The implication is that older persons commonly experience several chronic conditions that necessitate complex treatment regimes all of which indicate that it is increasingly challenging to them to care for themselves (Cahall et al, 2008). For instance, impaired mobility among elderly patients means that they are increasingly likely to experience falls both at home and within healthcare settings. Nevertheless, intelligent assistive technologies that decrease the chances of elderly patient falls hold considerable promise for the burgeoning elderly patient population whom in-hospital as well as in-home support services is frequently unavailable.

Problem statement

            Falls among elderly patients is a major health issue around the world, and interventions to date have not yielded the much-desired outcomes in mitigating this problem. New interventions using assistive technology, however, offers some hope as technological advancements are increasingly incorporated into healthcare settings.

Research purpose

The purpose of this research is to identify emerging assistive technology interventions to minimize elderly patient falls in healthcare settings.

Research question

In elderly patients, how does the use of assistive technology compared to not having it minimize the risk of falls during their hospital stay?

Characteristics of the population

            As insinuated above, the population comprises of elderly patients. In particular, the patients have attained the age of 65 years and over. The patients have been admitted to hospital in the past one week and have shown problems such characteristics as impaired sensory as well as cognitive function, and mobility and physical endurance. In fact, the population has shown dependency on caregivers and family member when available to help them move around. They have reported challenges when they try leaving their hospital-beds without assistance from caregivers and family members. Some have already reported falls when they attempted to leave hospital and home beds on their own. Altogether, elderly patients are increasingly vulnerable to falling and it has been evidenced that more than half of elderly patient falls take place at their bedside (Phillips et al, 2008).     

The condition of interest

            The condition of interest involves elderly patients’ inability to leave their hospital and home-bed of their own leading to falls. This is a major challenge around the world and contributes to significant health care burden. The increased costs result out of the costs associated with treating injuries, prolonged hospital stay, litigation, as well as complaints. Thousands of falls are reported annually around the world, and falls in elderly patients have been linked to physical as well as psychological morbidity. In fact, such factors as impaired mobility, s history of falling, as well as age all contribute to increased falls among elderly patients. 

Intervention

            Improvements in assistive technology including bedside and bed chair pressure sensors present innovative approaches to minimizing in- patient bedside falls (Till et al, 2005). In fact, healthcare facilities are increasingly utilizing them and various accreditation bodies and agencies around the world have endorsed them. The sensor units used in the research were leased from a manufacturer, and fitted by the research team. they worked by sending a radio signal alert to a radio-pager carried by nurses each time a patient attempted to leave her or his bed. Recordings were made every time alert signals were received.

What do you want to do with this patient?

            The aim of carrying out the experiment was to observe and record elderly patients’ activity, behavior, or conduct when leaving bedside. This included observation to determine other factors that could be contributing to increased patient falls among these patients. The recorded information will be used to assess the viability of bedside assistive technology in cutting down elderly patient falls.

Alternative to the intervention

            An alternative to the intervention involves supervision. This intervention techniques implies that nursing staff staying put by patient’s bed to observe and help them to prevent falls. This is a rather laborious intervention method, and in all likelihood may encounter many other challenges including judgment and labor intense.

Outcome

            Some of the relevant outcomes included decreased bedside falls among elderly patients as the assistive technology in form of sensor units alerted the nurses to patients needing assistance to leave their beds. In fact, this form of assistive technology accurately alerted the nurses to elderly patients’ needs and each time they needed to leave their beds proper assistance was already in place. The assistance technology seemed to help elderly patients to overcome several factors leading to falls including impaired cognitive as well as sensory functions, and mobility. As well, the time elapsed before elderly patients received the necessary care reduced considerably as the assistive technology swiftly alerted the nurses to their needs all of which contributed to improved healthcare.