Despite the fact that patient falls happen on a daily basis, there are few effective solutions for reducing fall-related injuries. Residential care facilities equipped with impact-absorbing flooring (IAF) present promising evidence for reducing fall-related patient injuries, but virtually all aspects behind the process of implementing IAF require further study.
To describe the experiences of nurses who worked with impact-absorbing flooring.
The researchers held focus group interviews with staff members from a 60-room, 60-patient, six-ward residential care center following the installation of IAF (10 rooms per ward). Two registered nurses who were responsible for all six wards and eight of 10 “enrolled nurses” (primary caregivers for elderly patients) participated in the study. The flooring was installed in six out of the 10 rooms in one of the hospital wards, as well as a total of 350m2 of flooring between the communal dining room and sections of the corridors.
General perceptions of the IAF among the nurses were positive. The flooring was viewed as beneficial for residents in that fewer injuries occurred on average, which meant a general decrease in the amount of medical attention required. Even with the decrease in fall frequency, the residents did not notice the change in flooring materials aesthetically. Daily routines among both staff and patients remained unchanged with the presence of the IAF. Some staff noted that the material was slightly more difficult to walk on and move objects across.
This study took place in a single medical facility with a relatively small number of participants and tested one specific model of IAF. The authors note that individual interviews (as opposed to group interviews) may have provided more information, and that one of the researchers involved in the paper was familiar with some of the participants.