The quantitative study “REFINE (Reducing Falls in In-patieNt Elderly) using bed and bedside chair pressure sensors linked to radio-pagers in acute hospital care: a randomized controlled trial” set out to research how effective pressure sensitive bed and chair alarms are at preventing falls. The researchers’ motivation to perform this study was to challenge the effectiveness of this new technology in preventing falls. This paper will analyze the quality and efficacy of this study and ultimately find their conclusion to be valid. The problem researchers will address is insufficient research related to single interventions to prevent falls in hospitals. The problem was easily identified and briefly stated in the background and then further explained …show more content…
The study was published in 2013 and is relatively new being that it was within the last five years. However, data was collected between January 2009 and March 2011. This could potentially outdate the research since data collection was nearly ten years ago.
Research Hypothesis or Research Question The hypothesis is clearly stated and concisely expressed in the introduction. The hypothesis is stated as, “[w]e report the results of a large, pragmatic, parallel arm, randomized controlled trial of bed and bedside chair sensors using radio-pagers to reduce in-patient bedside falls in acute, general medical, elderly care wards in a UK hospital” (Sahota et al., 2014, p.248). The hypothesis is logically linked to the research and the problem is addressed in the research results.
Research …show more content…
The sample was taken from Queen’s Medical Centre within the general medical elderly care wards. Researchers demonstrated that the participants were random and stated, “[s]ubjects were randomized… using a web based randomization service” (Sahota et al., 2014, p.248). While they efficiently randomized their sample they failed to explicitly mention the size of their sample, and the criteria they must meet in order to be included in this study. For example, there was no mention of what defines an elderly patient such as an age requirement. There was an exclusion criteria mentioned and participants who were bedbound prior to admission were not included in the study. It appears that a power analysis was used to estimate the sample size needed. In the statistical analysis the researchers stated that they “had 80% power… to detect a 35% reduction in the rate of bedside falls among the intervention group” (Sahota et al., 2014, p.249). Some potential biases come from taking the sample from the same medical center. This limits the results to a particular hospital and their policies and