Investigating nurses’ attitudes towards the prevention of falls: A mixed-method study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate nurses' attitudes towards prevention of falls using the Nurses Attitudes Towards Prevention of Falls Scale and to identify factors affecting these attitudes. A mixed-method design was applied and a convenience study was conducted. Six-hundred and thirty nurses participated. In the first stage of this study, the psychometric properties of the Nurses' Attitudes Towards Prevention of Falls Scale were tested. Quantitative data were collected using the Introductory Information Form and the Nurses’ Attitudes Towards Prevention of Falls Scale. While collecting this data, 24 nurses were interviewed. The Nurses' Attitudes Towards Prevention of Falls Scale was determined to be a valid and reliable measurement tool. Most of the participating nurses did not complete a fall incident report when their patients experienced a fall, and that led to nurses experiencing remorse, fear, guilt, sadness, anxiety, and panic when their patients fell.