ABOUT US
This website was developed as part of a research study examining falls in Ontario Long-Term Care Facilities (Principal Investigator: Laura M. Wagner, PhD, RN).
Data in eight Ontario nursing homes were collected to examine how well nursing staff identify fall risk and carry-out fall prevention activities, as well as how information regarding falls is communicated between staff members. The study is scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2007. Prior to the end of study completion, one objective is to rapidly disseminate information about falls in long-term care, including the results of data collection.
The study was funded by the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI), an independent not-for-profit corporation which performs a coordinating and leadership role across health sectors and systems, promoting leading practices and raising awareness with stakeholders, patients and the general public about patient safety. In addition, through websites such as this one, CPSI plays an important role in helping to foster the sharing of knowledge and information about optimal patient safety practices and models.
The study was a joint effort between the Ontario Long-term Care Association, the largest long term care provider association in Ontario, and the Kunin-Lunenfeld Applied Research Unit (KLARU) at Baycrest. KLARU allows scientists the unique and exciting opportunity to conduct research alongside clinicians and apply the results directly to client care. It plays an important function in education such as in the implementation of evidence-based practice, including changing clinical practices based on new knowledge arising from research, changing attitudes towards care, and establishing practice benchmarks as a basis for evaluation.
