Identifying and Reducing Falls in the Hospital Environment

My capstone project involved identifying and redeveloping the hospital’s falls prevention program. Reducing the risk and preventing falls starts at the highest system level and incorporates everyone who works in the hospital. The Falls Prevention Project is aimed at

1) reducing falls

2) improving patient outcomes

3) reducing potential litigation, and

4) reducing costs from patient harm.

The project objectives encompass five structural components designed to reduce fall risk. First, identify opportunities for alerts in the patient’s chart and room for patients who have fallen within the past 30 days or during their current admission. Second, changing the current fall precaution signs on the patient’s doors to alert all staff of the required fall status. Third, develop a rounding system for leaders and nursing staff to ensure fall precautions are in place at all times and fourth, reinstituting a fall huddle where staff meet on the unit after an immediate fall. Finally, the potential costs to the organization related to litigation and injuries resulting from a fall should be quantified.

The capstone experience was by far my favorite course in the program. I liked being able to draw information and experiences from all of the courses into my final project.