This paper provides those who care for orthopaedic patients with evidence-supported international perspectives about acute nursing care of the older adult with fragility hip fracture. Developed by an international group of nurse experts and guided by a range of information from research and clinical practice, it focuses on nurse sensitive quality indicators during the acute hospitalisation for fragility hip fracture. Optimal care for the patient who has experienced such a fracture is the focus here. This includes in this part:

Pain

Delirium

and in the second, subsequent, part

Pressure Ulcers

Fluid Balance/Nutrition

Constipation/Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection

Vigilant nursing assessment and prompt intervention may prevent the development of the complications we discuss. If they do occur and are identified early on, they may resolve with appropriate and timely nursing management.

This “tool kit” has been developed under the auspices of the International Collaboration of Orthopaedic Nursing (ICON) a coalition of national associations of orthopaedic nursing (www.orthopaedicnursing.org).Previous article in issue