[Implementation of fall sensors in long-term care : An interview study to identify promoting and inhibiting factors from the perspective of professional caregivers].

Background and objective: Digital support systems are becoming increasingly more important in long-term inpatient care facilities. Welfare technologies have the potential to make a valuable contribution to maintaining independence in advanced age. At the same time the technologies can support professional caregivers. The aim of the study was to describe the expectations and experiences with a new technology, using the example of a fall sensor system, from the perspective of professional caregivers.

Method: We used a qualitative design with semistructured interviews in two long-term inpatient care facilities. In one facility, three individual interviews took place, while in the other long-term care facility, a group interview with three nursing professionals was conducted. Additionally, one individual interview was conducted with a person in a leadership role in each facility. The time from implementation of the fall sensors to the interviews was between 1 and 3 months. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis in MAXQDA.

Results and discussion: The study demonstrated that there was a correspondence between expectations of and retrospective experiences with the new technology among professional nurses. The main facilitating factors of the implementation that were identified were timely information about the risk of falling or a fall that has occurred, maintenance of residents' autonomy and freedom of movement as well as the enhancement of the sense of security among nursing professionals and the associated psychological relief effect. The inhibiting factors of the implementation were compulsory presetting, false alarms and faulty handling of the technology due to missing knowledge.