100 Knowledge of Nurses about the Morse Falls Scale. (20th December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ramli, Roslawati; Chong, Elizabeth G M; Yau, Weng Keong
• Is Part Of: Age and ageing. Volume 48(2019)Supplement 4
• Page Start: iv18
• Page End: iv27
• Publication Date: 2019-12-20
• Subjects: morse falls scale -- nurse -- knowledge; Aging -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afz164.100
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-0729

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Falls in the hospital is common. Morse Fall Scale was introduced in 2013 to Hospital Kula Lumpur as a tool for risk assessment in order that prevention strategies could be instituted in accordance to the falls risk. However, the rate of falls was on the rise in the last 5 years despite the use of the tool. The concern was that there is a lack of understanding in the use of the tool or that the scoring was not performed correctly by the nurses. Method: A validated structured questionnaire regarding the knowledge of Morse Fall Scale was distributed to the registered nurse of the Medical Department Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Results: 209 responses to the questionnaire were collected. The average correct answers were 7 points. Almost a quarter of the nurses had less than 5 correct answers. 50% of this group of nurses has less than 5 years of working experience; most of them only had a diploma and were working in the active medical wards. 17% had full scores, in which 92 % of them had more than 5 years' experience and had higher nursing qualifications. Overall, the nurses with longer working experience scored 1 point higher than those with a diploma. However, there is no difference in the average score with regards to their place of work, either in clinic or ward. The highest scoring (97.6%) question was the question regarding the purpose of Morse Falls Scale. The least correctly answered (41.6 %) was the question regarding the number of categories in the Morse Falls Scale. Conclusion: The nurses with more experience understood the use of the scoring and usage of the Morse Falls Scale better. Generally, with an average score of only 7 out of 10, may reflect an inadequacy in the understanding in falls prevention. References: 1. SG Lim, SW Yam. The level of knowledge and competency in the use of the Morse Fall Scale as an assessment tool in the prevention of patient falls, IeJSME, 2016, 10(3): 14-23 2. Cruza S, AL Carvalho P, Barbosa BL. Morse fall scale user's manual: Quality in supervision and in nursing practice. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 2015; 171: 334–9. 3. Enein NAE, Ghany ASAE, Zaghloul AA. Knowledge and performance among nurses before and after a training programme on patient falls. Open Journal of Nursing 2012; 2: 358–64.