IndentificaClinical Questiontion of Clinical Question Research

Identification of Clinical Question
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Institution
Identification of Clinical Question
Foreground question: In elderly patients, are exercise programs more effective than hip protectors in the prevention of fall-related injuries in healthcare facilities?
Elderly people are more likely to fall than younger people because they suffer from chronic health issues that cause loss of balance, and are also affected by poor sight and weakening of the muscles. Further, such falls are likely to be fatal as they may result in bone fractures. Fall-related injuries have been deemed as the most common cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among elderly people (Gill, et al., 2016). Thus, it is important to establish evidence-based prevention strategies that are effective. Fall-related injuries among elderly people have led to admission in hospitals due to the seriousness of the injuries, and in some instances, they have resulted in the admission of the patient to nursing homes for longer periods (Gill, et al., 2016). The elderly are also likely to become disabled following an injury from a fatal fall which then reduces their quality of life (Goodwin, et al., 2014). Apart from the physical pain and adverse health outcomes on the part of the patient, there are other elements of fall-related injuries that put pressure on the healthcare system. As noted by Goodwin, et al. (2014), each year, the UK health system spends approximately £1.7 billion on fall-related injuries. In the U.S.A. the treatment of fall-related injuries costs around $28.2 billion each year, and most of these costs are incurred in the treatment of falls that result in admission. Nurses are responsible for ensuring patient safety and improving the patients’ outcomes. Fall-related injuries increase the number of patients under a nurse’s care because as noted by The Joint Commission (2015), it prolongs the stay in the hospital for approximately 6 more days. As such, it also increases the number of hours a nurse has to put in taking care of the patient, which could have been avoided or reduced. Prevention of fall-related injuries will reduce patient overload on nurses, enabling them to take care of other patients.
As noted earlier, falls among the elderly ar...