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A feasibility study of implementing grip strength measurement into routine hospital practice (GRImP): study protocol

A feasibility study of implementing grip strength measurement into routine hospital practice (GRImP): study protocol
A feasibility study of implementing grip strength measurement into routine hospital practice (GRImP): study protocol
Background
Handgrip strength is a non-invasive marker of muscle strength, and low grip strength in hospital inpatients is associated with poor healthcare outcomes including longer length of stay, increased functional limitations, and mortality. Measuring grip strength is simple and inexpensive. However, grip strength measurement is not routinely used in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of implementing grip strength measurement into routine clinical practice.

Methods/design
This feasibility study is a mixed methods design combining qualitative, quantitative, and economic elements and is based on the acute medical wards for older people in one hospital. The study consists of three phases: phase 1 will define current baseline practice for the identification of inpatients at high risk of poor healthcare outcomes, their nutrition, and mobility care through interviews and focus groups with staff as well as a review of patients’ clinical records. Phase 2 will focus on the feasibility of developing and implementing a training programme using Normalisation Process Theory to enable nursing and medical staff to measure and interpret grip strength values. Following the training, grip strength will be measured routinely for older patients as part of admission procedures with the use of a care plan for those with low grip strength. Finally, phase 3 will evaluate the acceptability of grip strength measurement, its adoption, coverage, and basic costs using interviews and focus groups with staff and patients, and re-examination of clinical records.

Discussion
The results of this study will inform the translation of grip strength measurement from a research tool into clinical practice to improve the identification of older inpatients at risk of poor healthcare outcomes.
1-10
Ibrahim, Kinda
54f027ad-0599-4dd4-bdbf-b9307841a294
May, Carl
17697f8d-98f6-40d3-9cc0-022f04009ae4
Patel, Harnish
e1c0826f-d14e-49f3-8049-5b945d185523
Baxter, Mark
3415aa9a-8eb0-454e-9b7a-dadb1ce4e5c6
Aihie Sayer, Avan
fb4c2053-6d51-4fc1-9489-c3cb431b0ffb
Roberts, Helen
5ea688b1-ef7a-4173-9da0-26290e18f253
Ibrahim, Kinda
54f027ad-0599-4dd4-bdbf-b9307841a294
May, Carl
17697f8d-98f6-40d3-9cc0-022f04009ae4
Patel, Harnish
e1c0826f-d14e-49f3-8049-5b945d185523
Baxter, Mark
3415aa9a-8eb0-454e-9b7a-dadb1ce4e5c6
Aihie Sayer, Avan
fb4c2053-6d51-4fc1-9489-c3cb431b0ffb
Roberts, Helen
5ea688b1-ef7a-4173-9da0-26290e18f253

Ibrahim, Kinda, May, Carl, Patel, Harnish, Baxter, Mark, Aihie Sayer, Avan and Roberts, Helen (2016) A feasibility study of implementing grip strength measurement into routine hospital practice (GRImP): study protocol. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 2 (27), 1-10, [27]. (doi:10.1186/s40814-016-0067-x). (PMID:27965846)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background
Handgrip strength is a non-invasive marker of muscle strength, and low grip strength in hospital inpatients is associated with poor healthcare outcomes including longer length of stay, increased functional limitations, and mortality. Measuring grip strength is simple and inexpensive. However, grip strength measurement is not routinely used in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of implementing grip strength measurement into routine clinical practice.

Methods/design
This feasibility study is a mixed methods design combining qualitative, quantitative, and economic elements and is based on the acute medical wards for older people in one hospital. The study consists of three phases: phase 1 will define current baseline practice for the identification of inpatients at high risk of poor healthcare outcomes, their nutrition, and mobility care through interviews and focus groups with staff as well as a review of patients’ clinical records. Phase 2 will focus on the feasibility of developing and implementing a training programme using Normalisation Process Theory to enable nursing and medical staff to measure and interpret grip strength values. Following the training, grip strength will be measured routinely for older patients as part of admission procedures with the use of a care plan for those with low grip strength. Finally, phase 3 will evaluate the acceptability of grip strength measurement, its adoption, coverage, and basic costs using interviews and focus groups with staff and patients, and re-examination of clinical records.

Discussion
The results of this study will inform the translation of grip strength measurement from a research tool into clinical practice to improve the identification of older inpatients at risk of poor healthcare outcomes.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 12 May 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 6 June 2016
Published date: 1 December 2016
Organisations: Faculty of Medicine

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 394484
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/394484
PURE UUID: 4babad4d-a3bd-44b7-bd17-4f8625b1b772
ORCID for Kinda Ibrahim: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5709-3867
ORCID for Carl May: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0451-2690
ORCID for Harnish Patel: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0081-1802
ORCID for Helen Roberts: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5291-1880

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 19 May 2016 09:13
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 05:34

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Contributors

Author: Kinda Ibrahim ORCID iD
Author: Carl May ORCID iD
Author: Harnish Patel ORCID iD
Author: Mark Baxter
Author: Avan Aihie Sayer
Author: Helen Roberts ORCID iD

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