prevention of patient falls, clinical practice guidelines, methodological quality, AGREE II instrument

Aim: The study aimed to assess the methodological quality of selected clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for preventing riskof falling in adult patients in acute and long-term institutional care. Design: Descriptive study using qualitative researchtechniques. Methods: CPGs were systematically searched in databases of clinical guidelines, systematic reviews, electronicdatabases, and websites of organizations and professional societies, based on predefined criteria and keywords fo the period2000?2015. After sorting and analysing 53 documents, the methodological quality of seven selected CPGs were assessed withthe AGREE II generic instrument. Results: All CPGs obtained highest domain scores in the dimensions Clarity andFramework, and Purpose, while the lowest standardized scores were achieved by the Applicability and Editorial independencedomains. The Rigor of development and Stakeholder Involvement domains achieved an average score. A total of threerecommended guidelines showed high methodological quality: Falls. Assessment and prevention of falls in older people ? 572b., 84 % (NICE, 2013); Preventing Falls and Harm From Falls in Older People. Best Practice Guidelines for AustralianHospitals ? 556 b., 84 % (ACSQHC, 2009); and Prevention of falls and fall injuries in the older adult ? 559 b., 82 % (RNAO,2005). Conclusion: Assessing the methodological quality of clinical guidelines using the AGREE instrument is one of the keysteps in the process of their adaptation for other socio-cultural and organizational conditions. It would be possible to adapt anduse all of the three most highly-rated CPGs to reduce risk of falling of inpatients in the Czech organizational and socio-culturalcontext