Recommended Citation
Hintt L. Patient falls: Summer fest. Quality Improvement poster presented at Nursing Passion: Re-Igniting the Art & Science, Advocate Aurora Health Nursing & Research Conference 2022; November 9, 2022; virtual.
Presentation Notes
Quality Improvement poster presented at Nursing Passion: Re-Igniting the Art & Science, Advocate Aurora Health Nursing & Research Conference 2022; November 9, 2022; virtual.
Abstract
Background: Inpatient falls are an ongoing problem in the healthcare setting. Despite efforts to keep patients safe, an estimated 1 million falls occur in hospital settings per year and account for approximately 70% of impatient accidents (Scheidenhelm et al. 2020).
Local Problem: The interdisciplinary Falls Committee Team at Advocate Sherman Hospital (ASH) identified that attempts to reduce falls in the inpatient areas, were not producing results. In 2020, ASH had a total of 138 patient falls, with 42% of those falls related to toileting activities. The falls investigations data showed trends in non-adherence to our fall’s prevention tactics and widespread concerns across all units with new team members knowledge about falls prevention.
Method: The Falls Committee team utilized data and literature to develop an innovative way to focus on reducing our falls with the idea of holding a Falls Summerfest educational event, with a carnival theme, over two weeks in June 2021. The team knew the education event had to be something different, fun, and most of all engaging. The purpose of Falls Summerfest would continue to hardwire current fall prevention tactics and introduce some additional new products during the event. Each nursing unit was charged to create a carnival themed station that focused on key education topics found in our patient fall data.
Results/Conclusions: The event in June 2021 had a total of 10 festival booths the produced amazing results. ASH decreased the overall amount of inpatient fall by 46% after the event with a total of 36 falls from July – December 2021. ASH also decreased falls with injury by 40% during those six months.
Implications for Practice: The Fall Summerfest turned out to be an innovative and interactive way to highlight fall prevention tactics to decrease inpatient falls. This education event ensured all team members had the baseline knowledge and expectations for fall prevention was key.
Document Type
Poster
Affiliations
Advocate Sherman Hospital