Tailoring Patient Education to Perceived Risk for Falls in Hospitalized Oncology Patients

Tailoring Patient Education to Perceived Risk for Falls in Hospitalized Oncology Patients: A Pilot Study

This randomized pilot clinical trial studies tailored patient educational intervention or standard education in assessing perceived risk for falls in hospitalized oncology patients. A tailored patient educational intervention may be more beneficial than standard education in preventing patients from falling by increasing the patient's knowledge of the risk factors for falling routinely and then providing education in deficit areas. Making patients more aware of the risk factors for falling may lead to greater engagement in preventative activities.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the effect of a tailored, nurse-delivered intervention, as compared to the control group, on perceived risk for falls in hospitalized hematology-oncology patients.

II. To evaluate the effect of a tailored, nurse-delivered intervention, as compared to the control group, on confidence to minimize falls in hospitalized hematology-oncology patients.

III. To evaluate the relationship between patients' perceived risk for falling and their willingness to call for assistance with ambulation.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the relationship between patients' perceived risk for falls and nursing risk assessments when using the standard hospital assessment tool and the investigator-designed perceived risk survey.

II. To evaluate the relationship between a patients' perceived risk for falls and sustaining a fall.

III. To evaluate patient satisfaction with the intervention.

OUTLINE:

All participants complete the Perceived Risk Survey comprising the participants' perceived risk for falls, their confidence to prevent a fall, and their willingness to ask for assistance at baseline and at 24 and 72 hours (or at discharge if stay is less than 72 hours) post-intervention. Patients are then randomized to 1 of 2 arms.

ARM I: Participants receive tailored education comprising one of four two-minute videos determined by which educational group the participant is placed in: high risk/high perception, high risk/low perception, low risk/high perception, or low risk/low perception. Participants also receive printed education sheets based on the participants' answers given on the Perceived Risk Survey and are tailored to the participants' perception of falls risk.

ARM II: Participants receive a generic educational instruction sheet on falls prevention and receive standard care by nurses comprising a falls risk assessment and verbal education.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of cancer
• Admitted to the third floor of Seidman Cancer Center (SCC)
• Cognitively intact (alert, oriented to self, place, and time, and able to participate in the intervention)
• Ability to speak, read, and comprehend English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Nonmalignant diagnosis
• Actively dying
• Patients with a physician order for bed rest