Other Titles

Promoting clinical outcomes through performance improvement

Abstract

Session presented on Sunday, July 26, 2015:

Purpose: Although the previous Patient Fall Prevention program required adult inpatients be assessed using the Hendrich II Fall Risk Assessment tool on admission and each shift, challenges to identify high risk patients persisted. A revised Patient Fall Prevention program mandated adult inpatients be assessed using three different aspects of fall potential assessment on admission and each shift. Scoring levels were determined within the program.

Methods: A retrospective chart review non-experimental design was implemented to validate the assessment program. A random selection of completed charts was used for the study: pre-program implementation (N= 90) and 6 months Post-program implementation (N=90). Demographical information was collected along with the scores for each of the tools and the High Risk Fall Qualifiers which reflected the nurses' unique assessment. Only aggregate data is reported.

Results: For the statistical analyses, frequencies were computed. Each tool was analyzed to determine the appropriateness of the tool use. The number of falls documented during the designated period of time was compared.

Conclusion: This presentation will reflect the research process and the results from the study. The statistics reflect nursing judgment as an important component within the assessment process. While the tools are effective, the addition of nursing perception is essential.

Author Details

Carol Boswell, RN, CNE, ANEF; Jessica Tully, RNC, CMSRN, CNML

Sigma Membership

Iota Mu

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Patient Fall Protocol, Non-Experimental Quantitative Action Research

Conference Name

26th International Nursing Research Congress

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Conference Year

2015

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

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Patient Falls: Improving patient safety, continuing challenge

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Session presented on Sunday, July 26, 2015:

Purpose: Although the previous Patient Fall Prevention program required adult inpatients be assessed using the Hendrich II Fall Risk Assessment tool on admission and each shift, challenges to identify high risk patients persisted. A revised Patient Fall Prevention program mandated adult inpatients be assessed using three different aspects of fall potential assessment on admission and each shift. Scoring levels were determined within the program.

Methods: A retrospective chart review non-experimental design was implemented to validate the assessment program. A random selection of completed charts was used for the study: pre-program implementation (N= 90) and 6 months Post-program implementation (N=90). Demographical information was collected along with the scores for each of the tools and the High Risk Fall Qualifiers which reflected the nurses' unique assessment. Only aggregate data is reported.

Results: For the statistical analyses, frequencies were computed. Each tool was analyzed to determine the appropriateness of the tool use. The number of falls documented during the designated period of time was compared.

Conclusion: This presentation will reflect the research process and the results from the study. The statistics reflect nursing judgment as an important component within the assessment process. While the tools are effective, the addition of nursing perception is essential.