Authors: (including presenting author): :
Chan HW(1)
Affiliation: :
Paediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Hospital Authority Infectious Disease Centre, Princess Margaret Hospital
Keyword 1: :
Safety practice
Keyword 2: :
Caregiver education
Keyword 4: :
Hospitalized
Introduction: :
Paediatric inpatient falls and environment-related injuries can occur despite caregiver presence, most commonly when cot rails are left down, beds are maintained at unsafe heights, or children enter hazardous zones inadvertently. In paediatric isolation ward, specialised room features such as automatic sensor doors and hatch boxes, introduce additional safety risks. Over the past three years, four fall incidents and one automatic door related injury were reported in our unit, warranting targeted, effective and sustainable caregiver-centred interventions to enhance safety awareness and adherence to safe caregiving practices.
Objectives: :
(1) Enhance caregiver awareness of fall prevention measures, including proper use of cot rails and maintenance of safe bed height. (2) Reduce the risk of falls and injuries related to automatic door and hatch box use. (3) Evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions in improving caregiver adherence to safety advice.
Methodology: :
This study adopted a quasi-experimental pre-and-post-intervention design with non-equivalent groups conducted in a 21-bed paediatric isolation ward at the Hospital Authority Infectious Disease Centre, Princess Margaret Hospital. A multi-modal education and environmental cueing program was implemented, comprising bilingual safety posters, point-of-care environmental signages, and QR code-enabled digital resources to enhance caregivers’ access to safety information. Independent caregiver samples were recruited before and after implementation using convenience sampling. Evaluation outcomes included a caregiver safety knowledge assessment, a structured observation checklist of caregiver safety practices and a post-intervention caregiver perception and empowerment survey. Safety-related incident reports will be reviewed retrospectively using a rolling annual comparison.
Result & Outcome: :
A total of 50 caregivers completed the safety knowledge assessment pre-intervention and 56 post-interventions. For safety practice monitoring, 50 caregiver observations were recorded pre-intervention and 54 post-interventions. Baseline demographic characteristics were comparable between groups (all p>0.05). Caregiver safety knowledge improved significantly following implementation, with mean scores increasing from 2.66 ± 1.49 to 4.45 ± 0.91 (t(104)= −7.52, p< 0.001; Cohen’s d= 1.45). Correspondingly, observed safety practices improved, with bed safety compliance increasing from 38.6% to 61.4% (χ²(1)= 14.93, p< 0.001; Cramér’s V= 0.379) and automatic door hazard zone safety compliance increasing from 34% to 66% (χ²(1)= 12.23, p< 0.001; Cramér’s V= 0.377). Post-intervention, over 90% of caregivers reported positive perceptions of the program and increased confidence in maintaining their child’s safety. Review of safety-related incident reports is ongoing, and findings will be reported following completion of an adequate post-implementation observation period.
