I selected the article of the Implementation of an Evidence-Based Patient Safety Team to Prevent Falls in Inpatient Medical Units from MEDSURG Nursing Journal written by Gwendolyn Godlock, RN and a Joint Commission nurse surveyor, Mollie Christiansen, RN and a clinical nurse officer, and Laura Feider, RN and a Dean, School of Nursing Science and Chief, Department of Nursing Service (Godlock, Christiansen, and Feider, 2016). Fall prevention for patients is medical facilities is a constant concern and continuous studies on prevention. Even through falls are accidental the outcome can range from no injuries to the death of the patient (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2016). The Joint Commission established a National Patient Safety Goal which
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The EBP project was based on the FOCUS-PDCA model (Godlock et al, 2016). The tool was a fall prevention team consisting of dedicated members with multiple responsibilities (Godlock et al, 2016). The team first had to be educated on falls and preventions and then educate the staff of the medical-surgical units (Godlock et al, 2016). It was discovered there was a lack of knowledge in the medical-surgical departments pertaining to inpatient falls and prevents (Godlock et al, 2016). The fall prevention team also developed a post fall check list and a schedule for the team members; therefore, a team-member will respond to each patient fall, complete the post fall check list, talk with staff, patient, family at the time of the incident. Then the team member would report the incident(s), it would be review and determine what, if any recommendations and/or interventions should be taken (Godlock et al, 2016).
A few questions found on the post fall checklist were: staff name, date, time, patient assisted to bed, chair, floor, any change in patient’s condition, patient’s activity, bed alarm, tubes, drains, bed in low position, wheels locked, environmental or safety issues, etc. (Godlock et al, 2016). The fall prevent team has a survey that is taken as well. It was found that one year after the EBP fall prevention team was started there was a declined in falls, to 0.69 falls per 1000
The EBP project was based on the FOCUS-PDCA model (Godlock et al, 2016). The tool was a fall prevention team consisting of dedicated members with multiple responsibilities (Godlock et al, 2016). The team first had to be educated on falls and preventions and then educate the staff of the medical-surgical units (Godlock et al, 2016). It was discovered there was a lack of knowledge in the medical-surgical departments pertaining to inpatient falls and prevents (Godlock et al, 2016). The fall prevention team also developed a post fall check list and a schedule for the team members; therefore, a team-member will respond to each patient fall, complete the post fall check list, talk with staff, patient, family at the time of the incident. Then the team member would report the incident(s), it would be review and determine what, if any recommendations and/or interventions should be taken (Godlock et al, 2016).
A few questions found on the post fall checklist were: staff name, date, time, patient assisted to bed, chair, floor, any change in patient’s condition, patient’s activity, bed alarm, tubes, drains, bed in low position, wheels locked, environmental or safety issues, etc. (Godlock et al, 2016). The fall prevent team has a survey that is taken as well. It was found that one year after the EBP fall prevention team was started there was a declined in falls, to 0.69 falls per 1000