Quality Improvement in High Fall-Risk Patients There are many reasons why patients are at risk for falling; some of them are sensory deficits, medications and altered mental status. Nurses have a moral obligation to provide and help maintain a safe environment for patients who are at risk for falls; therefore, it is of utmost importance to identify this population and determine the best solution to combat this ongoing problem. Trepanier and Hilsenbeck (2014) states “there is a need to identify the quality and financial impact of a standardized fall prevention program for adult patients in the acute care setting” (p. 135).
Identifying Risk Factors The first step in initiating a standardized fall prevention program is to identify the risk …show more content…
Nurses are responsible for the well-being of their patients and need to be educated in identification and fall prevention measures. Some facilities now make it mandatory to attend special classes such as Nurses Improving Care for Health-system Elders (NICHE), or complete an annual patient safety test, as an aid to improve care.
Best Practice in Fall Prevention As part of an ongoing effort to maintain a safe environment, falls are being monitored by the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators, the National Quality Forum, and the Collaborative Alliance for Nursing Outcome. The Joint Commission has mandated healthcare facilities to continuously assess patients at risk for falls, and Medicare services will no longer reimburse hospitals responsible for a sentinel event (Trepanier & Hilsenbeck, 2014, p. 136). Therefore, it should behoove all healthcare providers to take the necessary steps to maintain a safe environment for all patients. …show more content…
Signs need to be hung and wrist bands applied. Doctors need to review patients’ medications. Clutter needs to be cleaned up, and nurses may consider the use of safety belts and bed alarms. Patient rounding should be established and if all else fails, provide a safety companion to sit with the patient. A newer approach is the use of the Avasys monitor which streams live audio and video patient activity to a centralized location. Being able to view patients around the clock increases patient safety, decreases the fall rate, is cost effective, and frees up staff members to take care of other job related
Identifying Risk Factors The first step in initiating a standardized fall prevention program is to identify the risk …show more content…
Nurses are responsible for the well-being of their patients and need to be educated in identification and fall prevention measures. Some facilities now make it mandatory to attend special classes such as Nurses Improving Care for Health-system Elders (NICHE), or complete an annual patient safety test, as an aid to improve care.
Best Practice in Fall Prevention As part of an ongoing effort to maintain a safe environment, falls are being monitored by the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators, the National Quality Forum, and the Collaborative Alliance for Nursing Outcome. The Joint Commission has mandated healthcare facilities to continuously assess patients at risk for falls, and Medicare services will no longer reimburse hospitals responsible for a sentinel event (Trepanier & Hilsenbeck, 2014, p. 136). Therefore, it should behoove all healthcare providers to take the necessary steps to maintain a safe environment for all patients. …show more content…
Signs need to be hung and wrist bands applied. Doctors need to review patients’ medications. Clutter needs to be cleaned up, and nurses may consider the use of safety belts and bed alarms. Patient rounding should be established and if all else fails, provide a safety companion to sit with the patient. A newer approach is the use of the Avasys monitor which streams live audio and video patient activity to a centralized location. Being able to view patients around the clock increases patient safety, decreases the fall rate, is cost effective, and frees up staff members to take care of other job related