Assignment task: Reply
Elderly falls have been declared a serious issue of concern by the public health, and numerous studies are being conducted to formulate a serious prevention strategy. It is estimated that about a third of them fall at least once per year, and some lead to severe injuries through the breaking of bones and head traumas (Vincenzo et al., 2021). The given issue is examined in two studies, which have different methodologies: the first study is qualitative, and the second one is quantitative. Vincenzo et al. (2021) conducted a qualitative study to investigate the fall prevention perceptions held by older adults based on the Health Belief Model (HBM), which sheds light on the psychological and behavioral aspects of falling into the adoption of the preventive behaviors. Conversely, a quantitative report introduced by Guo et al. (2022) checks a patient-centered approach to the prevention of falls with reference to the Patient Engagement Framework, where significant improvement in the occurrence of falls can be observed when patients are currently engaged in long-term care plans.
The design of the research and the data collection techniques are one key dissimilarity between the two studies. On one hand, Vincenzo et al. (2021) adopted a qualitative grounded theory where 27 community-dwelling older adults were subjected to focus groups to find out the attitude, beliefs, and experience concerning falls. Deductive content analysis instructed by the HBM constructs guided the researchers to come up with some themes, e.g., perceived susceptibility, severity, barriers, and cues to action. Guo et al. (2022), on the contrary, analyzed the question under a quasi-experimental study as a quantitative investigation of outcomes among 116 hospitalized older patients in an intervention group and a control group. Incidence: Quantitative data on falls. KAP scores and the Modified Fall Efficacy Scale scores were taken and analyzed statistically. These distinctions are in line with DNP Essentials II and IV since they are focused on enhancing patient outcomes by implementing deliberate interventions, yet they vary regarding the collection and analysis of information in order to guide clinical practice (Waldrop et al., 2023).
In spite of the methodological inconsistencies, both experiments have a similar purpose, which is to increase patient involvement in preventing falls. They both relied on theoretical concepts, HBM and the Patient Engagement Framework, to either support their interventions or analysis. The concept of patient education, self-efficacy, and behavior change to prevent falls was also recognized as an important aspect, which corresponds to DNP Essential III (Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice) (Waldrop et al., 2023). Both articles propose the importance of personalized fall prevention interventions since beliefs, knowledge, and the surrounding environment of the patients play significant roles in their compliance with prevention-related recommendations. This reflects DNP Essential VIII (Advanced Nursing Practice Competencies), which emphasizes integrating patient values and preferences into care planning (Waldrop et al., 2023).
Overall, both qualitative and quantitative studies, despite their difference in methods, provide relevant information regarding fall prevention in the elderly. I have come to realize that qualitative approaches not only give depth and insight into the views of patients, but quantitative approaches also give measurable results of pre-determined interventions. Integrating these strategies enables healthcare providers to provide their patients with an opportunity to address their complex needs and reduce the risks of falls and adverse outcomes. These two complementary research methodologies support the necessity to unite the voices of patients with empirical evidence to make more effective clinical decisions and sustainable enhancements in elderly care. Need Assignment Help?
References:
Guo, X., Wang, Y., Wang, L., Yang, X., Yang, W., Lu, Z., & He, M. (2023). Effect of a fall prevention strategy for the older patients: A quasi-experimental study. Nursing open, 10(2), 1116-1124.
Vincenzo, J. L., Patton, S. K., Lefler, L. L., McElfish, P. A., Wei, J., & Curran, G. M. (2022). A qualitative study of older adults' facilitators, barriers, and cues to action to engage in falls prevention using health belief model constructs. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 99, 104610.
Waldrop, J., Reynolds, S. S., McMillian-Bohler, J. M., Graton, M., & Ledbetter, L. (2023). Evaluation of DNP program essentials of doctoral nursing education: A scoping review. Journal of Professional Nursing, 46, 7-12.