This scoping review examines factors contributing to hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) in older patients in acute care hospitals. The study analyzed 237 articles focusing on functional decline, delirium, adverse drug reactions, and hospital-acquired infections.
Key findings:
Patient-related factors (e.g., frailty, cognitive impairment, sensory deficits) were the most commonly studied contributors to HACs.
Processes of care (e.g., nursing practices, lack of geriatric expertise) and hospital structural factors (e.g., overcrowding, resource limitations) were less frequently explored.
Most articles examined only one or two categories of factors, with fewer considering all three (patient, care process, hospital structure).
Preventing HACs requires a comprehensive, multi-level approach addressing patient vulnerabilities, hospital policies, and care quality.
The study underscores the complexity of HACs and the need for integrated prevention strategies in acute care hospitals.
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