Abstract: Objective To investigate the current knowledge of nursing safety risks of elderly people in old-age care institutions in Dongguan and its influence factors. Methods By convenience sampling method, 221 elderly people in 9 public old-age care institutions in Dongguan from February to March in 2018 were included in the study and they were investigated by using a self-designed questionnaire of Nursing Safety Risks of Elderly People in Old-age Care Institutions and a general information questionnaire. Results The total score of knowledge of nursing safety risks of the elderly was 114.31±15.55. The highest scoring dimension was diet safety, the score was 23.06±4.46 and mean score of each item was 3.35±0.71. The lowest scoring dimension was fall protection, the score was 26.67±5.49 and mean score of each item was 2.96±0.61. The highest scoring item was with salivation or not, with a score of 3.89±1.27 and the lowest getting out of the bed with slippers, with a score of 2.06±0.98. Single factor analysis showed that there was significant difference in the total score of knowledge among the elderly of different ages (P<0.05). Conclusion The elderly in Dongguan old-age care institutions have poor knowledge about common nursing safety risks, particularly about fall protection and the elderly aged from 81 to 90 have higher score of nursing safety risks. Targeted comprehensive health education program should be formulated to improve nursing safety risk awareness of elderly people, reduce safety risks and improve the quality of life.

Key words: old-age care institution, the elderly, nursing safety risk, cognition