State of Knowledge Among Nurses Regarding the Screening for Orthostatic Hypotension in Elderly Individuals in Acute Geriatric Medicine and Medical and Rehabilitation Services (HTO-IDE)

July 27, 2026 updated by: Hôpital NOVO

Orthostatic hypotension is a common geriatric syndrome associated with an increased risk of falls, syncope, functional decline and mortality in older adults. Current European recommendations provide standardized procedures for its detection, including blood pressure measurements in the supine and standing positions at specific time intervals.

Despite these recommendations, variability in clinical practice and potential gaps in healthcare professionals' knowledge may limit effective screening. The aim of this study is to assess nurses' knowledge and practices regarding orthostatic hypotension screening within the geriatric department of Hôpital NOVO.

The study hypothesis is that nurses' knowledge and practices regarding orthostatic hypotension screening are heterogeneous and may differ from current recommendations.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is defined as a decrease in systolic blood pressure of at least 20 mmHg and/or a decrease in diastolic blood pressure of at least 10 mmHg occurring within three minutes of standing. It is highly prevalent among older adults and is associated with adverse outcomes including falls, syncope, hospitalization, loss of autonomy and increased mortality.

Recent recommendations from the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) emphasize the importance of systematic screening for orthostatic hypotension in older adults and other at-risk populations. These recommendations also describe standardized measurement procedures, including blood pressure assessment after a period of rest in the supine position followed by measurements after standing at defined time points.

Although these recommendations are available, several studies suggest that orthostatic hypotension remains underdiagnosed in routine clinical practice. Inadequate knowledge of diagnostic criteria, inconsistent measurement techniques and variability in screening indications may contribute to this under-recognition.

The present study is a monocentric observational study conducted within the geriatric department of Hôpital NOVO. It aims to describe nurses' knowledge and self-reported practices regarding orthostatic hypotension screening.

Data will be collected through an anonymous self-administered questionnaire developed from current recommendations. The questionnaire explores three domains: theoretical knowledge of orthostatic hypotension, practical aspects of blood pressure measurement, and clinical situations prompting screening.

The results of this study will help identify potential knowledge gaps and areas for improvement in clinical practice. Findings may support the development of targeted educational interventions, standardized protocols and quality improvement initiatives to enhance the detection of orthostatic hypotension in older adults.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Aged patients with orthostatic hypotension.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • State-registered nurses
  • Working in the Acute Geriatric Medicine department (Pontoise site), or in the Medical Care and Rehabilitation department (SMR: Marines or Pontoise sites) of NOVO Hospital

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patient refusal

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Assessment of the knowledge level of nurses working in geriatrics regarding orthostatic hypotension
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year

The nurses' level of knowledge will be assessed using a questionnaire which they will complete either in person or online via the secure Microsoft Forms platform.

This questionnaire consists of 3 parts: - Definition of orthostatic hypotension (Question 2.1) - Measurement methods (Question 3) - Diagnostic criteria (Questions 2.2 and 2.3)

Through study completion, an average of 1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Evaluate the influence of the nurse's experience on their knowledge regarding the screening for orthostatic hypotension in the elderly.
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Nurses' knowledge will be assessed using the study-specific questionnaire developed from current European recommendations on orthostatic hypotension screening. Professional experience will be assessed by self-reported years of practice as a registered nurse. The association between questionnaire responses and years of professional experience will be analyzed.
Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Evaluate the influence of experience in geriatrics on the RN's knowledge regarding the screening for orthostatic hypotension in the elderly.
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Nurses' knowledge will be assessed using the study-specific questionnaire. Experience in geriatric care will be assessed by self-reported years of practice in geriatric settings. The association between questionnaire responses and years of experience in geriatrics will be analyzed.
Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Compare the level of knowledge between RNs working in acute geriatric care (AGC) and in long-term care (SMR)
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Nurses' knowledge will be assessed using the study questionnaire. Questionnaire responses will be compared between nurses working in acute geriatric care and those working in geriatric rehabilitation (SMR).
Through study completion, an average of 1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Lila HIRED, Hopital Novo

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

July 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

October 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 7, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 27, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

July 31, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 31, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 27, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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