NCT05391334

Early Fall Risk Detection and Fall Prevention Among Inpatients With Delirium

Exploration and Comparison of Novel Technology-supported Methods for Early Fall Risk Detection and Fall Prevention Among Inpatients With Delirium

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 78 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University Department of Geriatric Medicine FELIX PLATTER · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

During delirium patients are at risk of severe harm due to unattended bed-exits resulting in falls. This research intends to explore how effective alarming contact mats (CareMat®) in comparison to contactless bed-exit alarming devices (Qumea®) are to reduce the risk of unattended bed-exits and falls.

Detailed description

Delirium is a neuropsychiatric disorder with a sudden and reversible decline in attention and cognition due to a medical condition.8 Delirium is associated with emotional distress for patients, their relatives and medical staff.3-5 During delirium, patients are at risk of severe harm due to unattended bed-exits and subsequent falls.6, 7 As worldwide strategy, sitters are used for the prevention of harm in patients with delirium. However, evidence of the effectiveness of sitters is scant.9 A newly designed specialised acute care unit for older patients with delirium, the FELIX PLATTER delirium unit (DelirUnit), strives to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings. On the DelirUnit there are no physical barriers such as bed rails to prevent patients from bed-exits. Floor beds minimize injuries when patients leave their beds unattended. Specialised nurses and nursing aides care for this vulnerable patient group. Sitters are banned. As an alternative to sitters, nurses are informed about patients' intended bed-exit by electronic alarming contact mats at the bedside or in front of beds (CareMat®) or by a novel contactless radar-based bed-exit monitoring system (Qumea®). Up until now, evidence for the effectiveness of technical devices for fall risk prevention is low. This research intends to explore how effective contact mats (CareMat®) or contactless bed-exit alarming devices (Qumea®) are in fall risk detection and fall prevention.

Conditions

• Delirium in Old Age
• Delirium Superimposed on Dementia
• Fall
• Bed Falls

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Qumea	Contactless motion sensor (Qumea®) for bed-exit detection in combination with Qumea fall detection.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-11-01
• Primary completion: 2024-06-30
• Completion: 2024-06-30
• First posted: 2022-05-25
• Last updated: 2023-05-11

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Switzerland