Westmead Hospital
Setting: 2 side-by-side 25 bed aged care wards
Timeframe: 21 months (pre-SIBR n=1,703, post-SIBR n=1,970)
Summary: “Twice-weekly {SIBR rounds} is associated with a reduction in falls. It has the potential to be used in other settings where falls are frequent.”
“Although the mechanisms between SIBR implementation and NH placement remain uncertain, SIBR may encourage patients and families to make decisions on placement earlier than they would have otherwise.”
“{SIBR} incorporates a structured communication protocol and a safety checklist, which target the main risk-factors that are associated with in-hospital falls. During SIBR, each team member exchanged information that was, in many cases, directly relevant to fall risk. Relevant information that may otherwise be buried in the clinical file was rapidly communicated and addressed. …
SIBR facilitated a direct avenue for bedside nurses to communicate issues relevant to fall risk. “
“Because of competing clinical demands, we did not believe that we could sustain daily SIBR on a long-term basis … evidence indicates that hospital discharge planning for frail older people can be improved if interdisciplinary interventions include and educate the family … only 20.3% of the SIBR in the present study were attended by a member of the family.”