Sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av fallprevention i demensvård : En kvalitativ intervjustudie

Sammanfattning

Background: In Sweden there are currently approximately 150,000 people living with dementia, and this number is expected to increase each year. Therefore, it is considered important to gain a deeper understanding of nurses’ experiences in order to develop fall prevention interventions within municipal dementia care. Approximately half of all people with dementia have experienced falls, and this group has a higher risk of falling compared with older adults without dementia. Aim: The aim of the study was to describe nurses’ experiences of fall-preventive work in dementia care. Method: A qualitative interview study was conducted in two municipalities in central Sweden, where twelve nurses participated. A thematic analysis was performed, and the results were then analysed in relation to the study’s theoretical framework and perspectives. Result: Four themes of importance for fallprevention and eleven subthemes were identified. The results show that fall-preventive nursing interventions, information transfer and communication, as well as nurses’ participation in team collaboration, are significant for the outcomes of fall-preventive work in dementia care. It also emerged that the progression of dementia affects fall-preventive practice. Conclusion: The results showed that fallprevention efforts within dementia care can be improved through increased knowledge and awareness of the significance of nutrition in fall prevention, information technologybased solutions, the fallpreventive responsibilities and assessments of other healthcare professionals, and the value of information obtained from other healthcare providers and family members. These measures are considered capable of contributing to improved quality of life and a reduced number of falls among people with dementia, as well as increased patient safety and improved quality in fallprevention work.