OBJECTIVES: Patient falls deteriorate patients' functional condition and quality of life, and increase their treatment costs. E-learning is considered an effective way to gain knowledge and competencies for quality and safety in nursing practice. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an e-learning course for nurses in preventing in-patient falls. METHODS: The research design was mixed. In the first phase of the study, a five-year retrospective analysis of 2,280 in-patient falls was performed. Based on the analysis of risk factors for patient falls and group interviews with clinic managers an e-learning course was designed and completed by 250 nurses from five surgical and internal departments. The course's effectiveness was evaluated based on the incidence of patient falls and the consequences of the falls before and after e-learning. RESULTS: At surgical departments, there was a statistically significant decrease in patient fall indices after the implementation of the e-learning course (from 4.4 to 2.6 falls per 1,000 patients; p=0.022). On the contrary, in internal departments, this index increased in the monitored period (from 19.0 to 26.9 falls per 1,000 patients; p=0.001). In all departments, there was a decrease in the incidence of patient injuries caused by falls after the implementation of the e-learning course; in internal medicine, this decrease was statistically significant (from 54.5% to 33.3%; p=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed that e-learning forms of education for healthcare professionals have a positive effect in preventing patient falls.

CILJI: Padci pacientov poslabšajo njihovo funkcijsko stanje in kakovost življenja ter povečajo stroške zdravljenja. E-izobraževanje velja za učinkovit način pridobivanja znanj in kompetenc na področju kakovosti in varnosti zdravstvene nege. Cilj raziskave je oceniti uspešnost e-izobraževanja za medicinske sestre pri preprečevanju padcev hospitaliziranih pacientov. METODE: Raziskava je bila zasnovana kot mešana raziskava. V prvi fazi raziskave je bila opravljena petletna retrospektivna analiza 2.280 padcev hospitaliziranih pacientov. Na podlagi analize dejavnikov tveganja za padce pacientov in skupinskih razgovorov z vodji klinik je bilo zasnovano e-izobraževanje, ki ga je opravilo 250 medicinskih sester iz petih kirurških in internih oddelkov. Uspešnost izobraževanja je bila ocenjena na podlagi pojavnosti padcev pacientov in posledic padcev pred e-izobraževanjem in po njem. REZULTATI: V kirurških oddelkih je bilo ugotovljeno statistično značilno znižanje stopnje padcev pacientov po izvedenem e-izobraževanju (s 4,4 na 2,6 padca na 1.000 pacientov; p = 0,022). Nasprotno se je v internih oddelkih ta stopnja v opazovanem obdobju povišala (z 19,0 na 26,9 padca na 1.000 pacientov; p = 0,001). V vseh oddelkih je bilo ugotovljeno zmanjšanje pojavnosti poškodb pacientov zaradi padcev po izvedenem e-izobraževanju – v internem oddelku je bilo to zmanjšanje statistično značilno (s 54,5 na 33,3 %; p = 0,014). ZAKLJUČKI: Ta raziskava je potrdila, da oblike e-izobraževanja pozitivno vplivajo na zdravstvene delavce pri preprečevanju padcev pacientov.

University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice Faculty of Health and Social Sciences České Budějovice Czech Republic

University of West Bohemia in Pilsen Faculty of Health Care Studies Plzeň Czech Republic

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