Falls prevention in the nursing home environment may be best described by adopting Orlando’s nursing model to improve nursing-based discipline in order to impact outcomes and to reduce falls risk for patients (Abraham, 2011). This requires a strong and trust-based relationship between nurses and patients in an effort to produce the intended outcomes and to reflect upon the challenges of nursing care for patients who face a risk of falls (Abraham, 2011). There must be a significant emphasis on the development of falls-based protocols to stimulate nursing-based activities and reduce the risk of falls among nursing home residents, thereby intending to produce successful outcomes that will have a positive impact on patients rather than a negative influence (Abraham, 2011). Therefore, it is the responsibility of nurses to maximize their impact and to make the most of the circumstances so that patients are able to overcome these risks in the nursing home setting.
Orlando’s concepts embody a greater need for nurses and patients to interact at a high level and to demonstrate a strong point of view in supporting the needs of older adults residing in the nursing home (Peplau, Travelbee, & Orlando, 2015). This reflects a greater need to evaluate the conditions under which nurses are able to influence how their patients respond to care and treatment and to determine the best possible methods of overcoming any barriers to care that may have a negative impact on patient outcomes (Peplau et.al, 2015). Most importantly, nurses must serve as the primary facilitators in executing the appropriate care and treatment for their patients to have the most effective impact on their overall health status (Peplau et.al, 2015). This theory was selected for discussion because it demonstrates the importance of nurses in facilitating the appropriate protocols to improve patient care quality and to prevent falls throughout these care experiences.
Orlando’s theory operates in such a way that it impacts whether or not patients are able to develop a level of trust in their nurses so that they are able to utilize their knowledge and expertise to a patient’s advantage (May, 2013). There must be a high level of nursing-based discipline in place in order to effectively treat older adults with the goal to prevent falls over time (May, 2013). This reflects a need to further assess the continued growth and development of new ideas and strategies to accommodate patients and to be proactive in working towards new solutions to improve falls prevention for these patients (May, 2013). Most importantly, patients who develop a high level of trust in their nurses and the care that they provide are likely to experience a greater impact and support a higher level quality of care and treatment to meet their needs over time (May, 2013).
Falls prevention in the nursing care environment requires patients to be proactive and to address the needs of their patients at a high level. This will encourage nurses to be attentive towards their patients and to exercise a proactive approach to meeting their needs effectively and efficiently to improve outcomes for older adults. Most importantly, falls prevention must serve as a collaborative effort and the focus must be on the delivery of care and treatment that will have a lasting impact on patients, along with other tools that will have greater significance in advancing nursing-based outcomes at a higher level. Nurses must be able to adapt effectively and to create relationships whereby there are significant opportunities for growth to improve outcomes and to optimize the growth of nursing care for older adults as a means of preventing falls for these patients.