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REPERT MED CIR. 2024;33(3):245-253
Andrijana Ćorić
a
Milena Mikić
b
Nemanja Gvozdenović
c
Anđela Opančina
d
Branimirka Aranđelović
e
a
BSN, MSN, PhD (Nursing) student, Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad.
b
BScN, MScN, PhD. Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad (Hajduk Veljkova 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia);
University Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology (Hajduk Veljkova 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of
Serbia).
c
MD, PhD. Associate Professor. Orthopedic surgeon, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad (Hajduk Veljkova 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic
of Serbia); University Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology (Hajduk Veljkova 1, 21000 Novi Sad,
Republic of Serbia).
d
MD. PhD student and Research Trainee. Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad (Hajduk Veljkova 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia).
e
BScN, MScN, PhD. Teaching Assistant. Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad (Hajduk Veljkova 3, 21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia).
R E S U M E N
Riesgo de caídas e incidencia de Riesgo de caídas e incidencia de
delirio en pacientes hospitalizados delirio en pacientes hospitalizados
en el servicio de ortopediaen el servicio de ortopedia
Fall risk and incidence of delirium in hospitalized Fall risk and incidence of delirium in hospitalized
orthopedic patientsorthopedic patients
Artículo de investigación
ISSN: 0121-7372 • ISSN electrónico: 2462-991X
de Medicina y Cirugía
Vol. 33
N°3 . 2024
INFORMACIÓN DEL ARTÍCULO
Historia del artículo:
Date received: october 17, 2023
Date accepted: april 30, 2024
Main and corresponding author email:
Andrijana Ćorić
912007d23@mf.uns.ac.rs / 015199@mf.uns.ac.rs
DOI
10.31260/RepertMedCir.01217372.1561
Introducción: el riesgo de caídas y de lesiones relacionadas, así como el de presentar delirio, representan un problema de
salud pública en constante aumento, en especial en sociedades con una población que envejece. Objetivo: el propósito de
este estudio fue evaluar el nivel de riesgo de caídas, previo a cirugía de cadera o rodilla, y la frecuencia de desarrollar delirio
después de las intervenciones quirúrgicas. Materiales y métodos: estudio observacional, analítico de corte transversal en el
que se encuestaron pacientes hospitalizados en la Clínica de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología, Novi Sad, Serbia, entre el
inicio de diciembre de 2022 y n de enero de 2023. Resultados: del número total de pacientes (N = 106), la mayoría (61.3%)
tenían más de 70 años, de los cuales la mayor parte eran de sexo femenino (N = 80 (75.5%). El porcentaje más alto de los que
respondieron la encuesta fueron categorizados en nivel II de riesgo de caída (73.6%), mientras que se clasicó como nivel I
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Falls and fall-related injuries represent a growing
public health issue due to the increasing life expectancy
of individuals and the aging of the global population
.1
A fall is dened as an unplanned event that leads to the
unintentional descent of a patient to the ground, oor, or
lower level in general, excluding intentional changes in
position with the purpose of relying on furniture, walls, or
objects in the immediate surroundings.
2
Falls and fall-related injuries are one of the most commonly
reported adverse events in hospital settings. According to
the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), in
the United States, there are 700.000 to 1,000,000 reported
patient falls annually during hospitalization.
3
NANDA
(North American Nursing Diagnosis Association) includes
the fall risk in nursing diagnosis, dened as “a state of
increased vulnerability to falling and the occurrence of
bodily harm”.
4
About 15–20% of falls result in serious injuries, with or
without fractures. Falls without injury are also associated
INTRODUCTION
with negative health impacts, such as loss of function,
anxiety, depression, fear of falling, and social withdrawal.
Many countries with developed healthcare systems have
established fall prevention services.
1
Categories of falls in hospital settings
There are three categories of falls in hospital settings:
anticipated physiological factors/anticipated physiological
falls (unsteady gait, history of falls, and current fall
risk); unanticipated physiological factors/unanticipated
physiological falls (syncope, seizures, pathological fractures);
and environmental factors/accidental falls (external hazards
or equipment malfunctions). Additionally, organizational
units within healthcare institutions dier in terms of
patients, sta, healthcare delivery model, environment, and
equipment accessibility, all of which signicantly impact
patient fall rates.
5
Age-related physiological changes are
associated with an increased fall risk. Unaddressed sensory
impairments hinder obstacle detection and/or avoidance,
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The fall risk and fall-related injuries, as well as the risk of developing delirium, represent a constantly
increasing public health problem, especially in societies with an aging population. Objective: This study aimed to assess the
level of risk for falls in patients before hip or knee surgery and the frequency of delirium after hip or knee surgery. Materials
& Methods: The study was conducted as an observational, analytical cross-sectional study by surveying hospitalized patients
at the Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Novi-Sad, Serbia, between the beginning of December 2022 and
the end of January 2023. Results: From the total number of patients (N = 106), the majority (61.3%) were over 70 years of
age, of which the largest number were female (female = 80 (75.5%)). The highest percentage of respondents had a level II
fall risk (73.6%), while level I and level III risks had 14 respondents each (13.2%). The results of the 4AT score showed that
the largest number of patients, N = 50 (47.2%), had delirium or cognitive impairment with low probability, with possible
cognitive impairment in 40 patients (37.7%), while delirium was possible in 16 patients (15.1%). Conclusion: Orthopedic
patients hospitalized at the University Clinical Center of Vojvodina had level II fall risk, and the largest number of these
patients had a low probability of cognitive impairment or postoperative delirium.
Key words: fall risk, delirium, nursing, orthopedic patients.
© 2024 Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud - FUCS.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
y III a 14 pacientes en cada uno de dichos niveles (13.2%). Los resultados del puntaje 4AT evidenciaron que en la mayoría
de los pacientes (N = 50 47.2%) la probabilidad de presentar delirio o deterioro cognitivo fue baja, con posibles deterioro
cognitivo en 40 (37.7%) y delirio en 16 (15.1%). Conclusión: los pacientes hospitalizados en el servicio de ortopedia de la
Clínica de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología del Centro Clínico Universitario de Vojvodina tenían riesgo de caída nivel II,
con baja probabilidad de presentar deterioro cognitivo o delirio en el posoperatorio.
Palabras clave: riesgo de caídas, delirio, enfermería, pacientes de ortopedia.
© 2024 Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud - FUCS.
Este es un artículo Open Access bajo la licencia CC BY-NC-ND (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
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The study was conducted as an observational, analytical
cross-sectional study by surveying hospitalized patients
at the Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology of
the University Clinical Center of Vojvodina between the
beginning of December 2022 and the end of January 2023.
The clinic has a capacity of 70 beds and provides care for
patients with degenerative musculoskeletal conditions, as
well as traumatized patients. A total of 106 patients, with
diagnoses of Gonarthrosis and Coxarthrosis, both male and
female, 50 to 94 years old, participated in the research.
The fall risk assessment was performed upon admission to
the Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, while
MATERIALS AND METHODS
while decreased muscle strength and weakened reexes
have a negative impact on reactivity.
6
In older people, falls
are recognized as the leading cause of injuries and hospital
admissions worldwide, most commonly due to fall-related
injuries.
7
Annually, one-third of older people (65 years and
older) experience a fall at least once, with 20% of these
falls resulting in injuries. The high prevalence of injuries
imposes an additional nancial burden on the entire
healthcare system.
8
Fall risk factors in older people
Fall risk factors in older people can be divided into two
groups: intrinsic factors and environmental factors. Among
intrinsic factors, in addition to older age and gender, many
diseases and physical dysfunctions have a signicant
impact, such as muscle weakness, gait and balance problems,
visual impairments, postural hypotension, and a signicant
number of chronic conditions (osteoporosis, hypertension,
diabetes, stroke, cognitive impairment, epilepsy, dementia
etc). The use of medications for the treatment of mental
disorders, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as
non-steroidal anti-inammatory drugs, is also associated
with an increased fall risk. Environmental factors most
commonly relate to living in an unsafe environment.
7
Orthopedic patients are at a signicantly increased fall risk
due to musculoskeletal disorders, mobility impairments, and
prolonged immobility
9,10
,
and delirium is not uncommon
among these patients during hospitalization.
11,12
Fall risk factors and the onset of delirium in older
people
Delirium is characterized by an acute and uctuating
impairment of consciousness, accompanied by disturbances
in attention, cognition, and perception. Postoperative
delirium is a serious complication for older patients as
it is associated with functional impairment, prolonged
hospitalization, and institutionalization. Early recognition,
diagnosis, and treatment of delirium can reduce the length of
hospital stays, in-hospital morbidity, and healthcare costs.
13
The prevalence of delirium during hospitalization in these
patients is as high as 60%. Older orthopedic patients are at
an increased risk of developing delirium, especially after
a surgical procedure. Several predisposing factors for the
development of delirium in hospitalized patients have been
identied. These factors commonly include the patient’s age,
cognitive impairment, depression, severe illness, conrmed
infection, sedative use, sleep disturbances, hospitalization-
related fractures, signicant physical function impairment,
and preadmission institutionalization.
14
A number of risk
factors that signicantly increase the likelihood of delirium
following orthopedic interventions have been identied.
They include preoperative aective dysfunction, general
anesthesia, intraoperative hypercapnia and hypotension,
a surgery duration longer than 3 hours, postoperative
pain, postoperative sleep disturbances, and the length of
hospitalization itself. Notably, orthopedic pathology related
to the hip joint has the highest incidence of postoperative
delirium.
15
In patients who have undergone hip joint replacement,
impaired joint function and muscle weakness can increase
the fall risk. These patients may also experience a fear of
falling during activities of daily living (ADL).
16
Fear of falling
The fear of falling is dened as a persistent concern
about falling and can lead to self-restriction in performing
daily activities. Fear is a predominant risk factor for falls in
older individuals, regardless of their history or frequency
of falls.
17
Recurrent falls, along with fear, can result in
serious psychological trauma known as post-fall syndrome,
where older adults refuse to move due to the fear of further
falls and injuries.
18
Even 65% of older patients who have
not experienced a fall and 92% of those who have report
experiencing a fear of falling. Fear of falling after a surgical
procedure diminishes self-ecacy and ones perception of
one’s own abilities.
17
In hospital settings, various guidelines
are used for fall prevention, which involve systematic
identication of patients at high fall risk and a clinical
assessment to select an appropriate fall prevention strategy.
However, there are signicant dierences among guidelines,
which create confusion regarding the correct approach
to fall prevention. Unclear fall prevention guidelines can
burden healthcare delivery and potentially increase the risk
for patients.
19
Aim of the study
Based on everything stated, we have concluded that there
is a need to assess the fall risk in hospitalized orthopedic
patients upon admission to the hospital, as well as the
frequency of delirium in patients after surgical procedures.
Our aims were to: (i) Assess the fall risk level among
hospitalized patients prior to hip or knee surgery; and (ii)
Evaluate the incidence of postoperative delirium among
patients undergoing hip or knee surgery.
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the evaluation of potential delirium was conducted 24
hours after the surgical procedure. The study was organized
as individual interviews with each patient conducted by
the researchers. Medical documentation was used for
data related to the ASA status (ASA - American Society
of Anesthesiologists) and the type of anesthesia used
during the surgical procedure. The American Society of
Anesthesiologists (ASA) adopted a classication of patient
risk prior to anesthesia in 1963. This classication allows
for a numerical assessment of the patient’s health (ranging
from I to VI) and an evaluation of potential anesthesia-
related risk factors.
20
Research instruments
The Fall Risk Assessment Score Sheet
21
, was used as
the primary research instrument. Permission to use the
instrument was obtained through written correspondence
with the author. This instrument was specically designed
to identify the fall risk level in hospitalized patients
upon admission to a hospital facility. It consists of 16
items distributed across two domains. The rst domain
relates to patient characteristics, including age, history of
falls, environmental changes, and personality traits. The
second domain focuses on assessing the patient’s physical
condition, including physical tness, cognitive functions,
physical activity, and medication use. Based on the number
of identied elements, the fall risk level is assessed, ranging
from the lowest (Level I) to the highest risk level (Level III).
Level I indicates a score of 0-3, Level II indicates a score of
4-9, and Level III indicates a score of 10 or higher.
Another instrument used in this research was the 4AT -
Rapid Clinical Test for Delirium Detection.
22
It was used in
the postoperative period, 24 hours after hip/knee surgery.
The 4AT has the strongest evidence base for diagnostic
accuracy compared to all instruments designed for
delirium assessment. The 4AT evaluates the patient’s level
of consciousness and accuracy of responses to questions
about their date of birth, current location, and current
Study participants: Out of the total number of patients,
N=106, the majority of participants (61.3%) were above
the age of 70. There were 80 female patients (75.5%) and
26 male patients (24.5%).
Table 1 presents general data on the surgical procedure
of the participants N=106. Fall risk Level I was present in
14 participants (13.2%), fall risk Level II in 78 participants
(73.6%), and fall risk Level III in 14 participants (13.2%)
(gure 1).
Considering the total 4AT score, the largest number
of patients, N = 50 (47.2%), had a low probability of
delirium or cognitive impairment; 40 patients (37.7%) had
possible cognitive impairment; and delirium was possible
in 16 patients (15.1%) (gure 2). Out of the total number
of patients with possible delirium, 11 patients (10.38%)
developed postoperative delirium after hip surgery, of
whom 9 were female (81.82%), while 2 were male (18.18%).
RESULTS
Source: the authors.
Table 1. Data on the surgical procedure (N=106)
year, indicating orientation to self, others, time, and place.
It also assesses attention and any signicant changes or
uctuations in wakefulness, cognitive functions, and other
mental functions (present in the past two weeks and still
evident within the last 24 hours). A score of 0 indicates a
low probability of delirium or cognitive impairment (but
without exclusion), scores of 1-3 suggest possible cognitive
impairment, and a score of 4 or higher indicates possible
delirium with or without cognitive impairment. The
instrument is freely available for use at www.the4at.com.
Statistical data analysis
Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25
software. Within descriptive statistics, absolute and relative
frequencies were calculated. For computing dierences, the
chi-square test was used for qualitative variables. A p value
<0.05 was considered statistically signicant.
Surgical procedure
Hip
Knee
Type of anesthesia
Regional
General
ASA status
II
III
% n
70
36
47
59
74
32
66
34
44.3
55.7
69.8
30.2
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Figure 2. Total 4AT score. Source: the authors.
Low probability
of delirium or
cognitive
impairment
Possible
cognitive
impairment
Possible
delirium +/-
cognitive
impairment
χ
2
p
15 (30%)
35 (70%)
20 (40%)
30 (60%)
23 (46%)
27 (54%)
45 (90%)
5 (10%)
32 (64%)
18 (36%)
8 (20%)
32 (80%)
31 (77.5%)
9 (22.5%)
10 (25%)
30 (75%)
26 (65%)
14 (35%)
15 (37.5%)
25 (62.8%)
3 (18%)
13 (82%)
14 (87.5%)
2 (12.5%)
3 (18.7%)
13 (81.3%)
3 (18.8%)
13 (81.3%)
0 (0%)
16 (100%)
1.54
18.62
6.31
29.90
21.33
0.463
<0.0001*
0.043*
<0.0001*
<0.0001*
Sex
Male
Female
Age (years)
>70
<70
Surgical procedure
Hip
Knee
ASA status
II
III
Anesthesia
Regional
General
Source: the authors.
Note: Statistically significant differences*
Table 2. Differences between groups based on 4AT score results
Figure 1. Fall risk level. Source: the authors.
Comparison of patients based on their 4AT score
Subjects whose total 4AT score indicates possible delirium
have signicantly higher values of the ASA score compared
to other subjects (χ
2
= 23.33, p 0.0001). Additionally,
in this group of patients, there were signicantly more
individuals who underwent general anesthesia (χ
2
= 14.98,
p 0.0001). They also have a signicantly higher fall risk
compared to others (χ
2
= 22.28, p 0.0001) (table 2, gures
3-5
).
Among the statistically signicant dierences among
subjects with dierent 4AT scores, it stands out that
patients with a low probability of delirium or cognitive
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Figure 3. Difference in anesthesia type between groups
based on 4AT score results. Source: the authors.
Figure 4. Difference in ASA status between groups based
on 4AT score results. Source: the authors.
Source: the authors.
Note: Statistically significant differences*
Table 3. Comparison of 4AT score results in relation to fall risk
impairment are signicantly younger than others (χ
2
=
18.15, p 0.0001), more frequently undergo knee surgery
(χ
2
= 6.10, p = 0.04), have a lower ASA score (χ
2
= 18.32,
p 0.0001), more frequently undergo regional anesthesia (χ
2
= 14.82, p 0.0001), and have a lower fall risk (χ
2
= 22.28,
p 0.0001). Patients with possible cognitive impairment are
statistically signicantly older than others (χ
2
= 7.08, p =
0.04) (table 2).
The majority of patients with fall risk Level II had a
low probability of developing delirium or cognitive
impairment (table 3).
Out of the total number of patients who developed
delirium 24 hours after the surgical procedure (N = 11),
1 patient had ASA status II (9.09%), and 10 patients had
ASA status III (90.91%), of which 9 patients were operated
under general anesthesia (90.91%).
Low probability
of delirium or
cognitive
impairment
Possible
cognitive
impairment
Possible
delirium +/-
cognitive
impairment
χ
2
p
12 (24%)
37 (74%)
1 (2%)
2 (5%)
33 (82.5%)
5 (12.5%)
0 (0%)
8 (50%)
8 (50%)
31.37
<0.0001*
4AT score
Fall risk
Risk level I
Risk level II
Risk level III
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Figure 5. Difference in fall risk between groups based on
4AT score results. Source: the authors.
On stationary orthopedic wards, risk assessment is
conducted multiple times during hospitalization. A
structured risk assessment for falls is performed upon
admission to the hospital, as needed multiple times during
hospitalization, and after surgery. The most important
aspect is enabling patients to safely perform daily activities.
Qualied medical nurses, nurse technicians, occupational
therapists, physicians, and physiotherapists play a
signicant role in the clinical fall risk assessment.
23
Frail and older patients, often with cognitive impairment
following major joint surgery, have been considered
burdensome for orthopedic and hospital services. The
development of national registries in highly developed
European countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand,
has changed these attitudes, as reports indicate improved
treatment outcomes.
24
The majority of our participants
were over 70 years old and predominantly female, which
is consistent with literature regarding the age threshold
for the occurrence of degenerative joint pathologies.
25,26
Considering that there have been no studies in the available
literature that assessed the fall risk in orthopedic patients
using the Fall Risk Assessment Score Sheet, developed
by Hagino et al.
21
, we are obliged to interpret our own
results, which relate to the assessment of fall risk, to the
greatest extent possible. In the aforementioned study, the
sample consisted of 5,219 patients admitted to the General
National Hospital in Kofu from April 2016 to March 2019.
The majority of patients in our study had a total score
corresponding to level II risk for falls, which is twice as
high compared to the study conducted by the authors
DISCUSSION
of the Fall Risk Assessment Score Sheet. The reason for
this may lie in the fact that the authors of the utilized
instrument did not exclusively have orthopedic patients in
their sample. When it comes to the possibility of delirium
occurring in hospitalized orthopedic patients, 15.1% of
patients were assessed as having the potential for delirium,
which is signicantly lower compared to the study, which
used data from the National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD)
and internal hospital computer systems (Medway, ICE,
and Clinic letters).
27
The researchers found that 29.3% of
orthopedic patients had possible delirium, with 68 patients
(38.9%) developing delirium and having an ASA IV score.
94 patients (22.3%) were without delirium (p 0.05). In
our study, the majority of patients had possible cognitive
impairment (37.7%) or delirium or cognitive impairment
with low probability (47.2%). The fact that we did not have
patients with an ASA IV score may be the reason for the
lower incidence of delirium in our results. Patients identied
with higher 4AT scores, indicating possible delirium, had
higher ASA scores compared to other patients, indicating
that these patients had other serious systemic illnesses.
Additionally, the results show that a higher percentage
of patients underwent surgery under general anesthesia.
Similar results were published in the study by Rajeev et
al.
27
The reason for signicant variations in the range of
postoperative delirium incidence may lie in inconsistent
criteria for diagnosing delirium.
In the study conducted in University Malaya Medical
Centre on a sample of 447 patients
28
, 11.2% of patients
with postoperative delirium were recoreded, slightly
lower compared to our sample. The study on a sample of
223 patients (154 in the control group and 69 in the study
group—those undergoing hip or knee surgery) undergoing
hip or knee surgery at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok
reported a signicantly lower number of patients (1%)
in whom the total 4AT score indicated postoperative
delirium.
29
Interestingly, due to this result, the researchers
sought the opinion of a psychiatrist specialist to conrm the
low rate of delirium in the control group. Also, the majority
of participants in their study were female, as was the case
in our study.
In the study conducted at Brunico-Bruneck Hospital in
Northern Italy
30
, out of 202 orthopedic patients comprising
the sample, 7.5% had postoperative delirium, with 73.3%
developing delirium within the rst 48 hours after surgery.
Our results are similar, considering that 11 patients
developed delirium 24 hours after the surgical procedure
(10.38%). In study conducted on a sample of 61 hospitalized
orthopedic patients at Port of Spain General Hospital
31
, 42
underwent surgical procedures and 18 patients (42.8%)
exhibited cognitive impairment after surgery, while 9
(21.4%) had delirium. They emphasize that delirium occurs
more frequently after general anesthesia (26.7%) compared
to regional anesthesia (8.4%). Our results identied slightly
fewer participants with possible cognitive impairment and
delirium. Additionally, we found that our patients with a
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low probability of delirium or cognitive impairment were
signicantly more likely to undergo surgery under regional
anesthesia (χ
2
= 14.82, p 0.0001).
Limitations, strengths of the study and future
research
Our study has certain limitations. Firstly, we had access to
only one study for comparison regarding the risk assessment
tool for falls, namely the study by Hagino et al.
21
, and we
did not perform a reassessment of fall risk. Secondly, the
limitation relates to the time of delirium onset monitoring,
as only a 24-hour period after surgery was considered,
during which delirium manifested in 11 patients, but
subsequent evaluation of other patients was not conducted.
Considering that the highest percentage of our participants
is over 70 years old, it is important to highlight that the
comprehensive goal of the United Nations Decade of
Healthy Ageing (2021–2030) is to improve the quality of
life for older individuals on a global level. Healthy aging
entails “the functional ability of an individual to be and do
what they love and value.” Reducing the incidence of falls
and fall-related injuries, preserving functional mobility,
and eliminating the fear of falling, along with the design of
specic guidelines for fall prevention.
Falls have a signicant impact on quality of life, which is
a key treatment outcome, especially in older individuals.
Additionally, a high percentage of potential delirium
among hospitalized patients can be prevented, leading
to improved postoperative recovery and the overall
quality of healthcare services provided. The results of the
research have shown that orthopedic patients hospitalized
at the University Clinical Center of Vojvodina have a fall
risk level II.
Most hospitalized orthopedic patients had a low
probability of cognitive impairment or postoperative
delirium, indicating the high quality of healthcare services
provided and a signicant indicator of patient safety in
healthcare institutions performing inpatient care.
None perceived.
The research has been approved by the Ethics Committee
of the University Clinical Center of Vojvodina.
The authors declare no conict of interest.
The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during
the current study are not publicly available due to privacy
CONCLUSION
FUNDING INFORMATION
ETHICAL APPROVAL
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
and ethical considerations. The data that support the
ndings of the study are available from the corresponding
author on reasonable request.
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