Congruency and its related factors between patients' fall risk perception and nurses' fall risk assessment in acute care hospitals

Abstract Introduction Inpatients need to recognize their fall risk accurately and objectively. Nurses need to assess how patients perceive their fall risk and identify the factors that influence patients' fall risk perception. Purpose This study aims to explore the congruency between nurses' fall risk assessment and patients' perception of fall risk and identify factors related to the non‐congruency of fall risk. Designs A descriptive and cross‐sectional design was used. The study enrolled 386 patients who were admitted to an acute care hospital. Six nurses assessed the participants' fall risk. Congruency was classified using the Morse Fall Scale for nurses and the Fall Risk Perception Questionnaire for patients. Findings The nurses' fall risk assessments and patients' fall risk perceptions were congruent in 57% of the participants. Underestimation of the patient's risk of falling was associated with gender (women), long hospitalization period, department (orthopedics), low fall efficacy, and history of falls before hospitalization. Overestimation of fall risk was associated with age group, gender (men), department, and a high health literacy score. In the multiple logistic regression, the factors related to the underestimation of fall risk were hospitalization period and department, and the factors related to the overestimation of fall risk were health literacy and department. Conclusions Nurses should consider the patient's perception of fall risk and incorporate it into fall prevention interventions. Clinical Relevance Nurses need to evaluate whether patients perceive the risk of falling consistently. For patients who underestimate or overestimate their fall risk, it may be helpful to consider clinical and fall‐related characteristics together when evaluating their perception of fall risk.