Preventing Patient Falls: A Step in the Right Direction (W5042)-Preventing Patient Falls 2025 Presentation

Preventing Patient Falls 2025 Presentation

Pdf Summary

The presentation "Preventing Patient Falls: A Step in the Right Direction" by Laura A. Dixon, RN, JD, addresses the critical issue of patient falls in healthcare settings, emphasizing prevention strategies to enhance patient safety and reduce associated costs.<br /><br />Key statistics reveal that in the US, 700,000 to 1 million people fall annually in hospitals, with about one-third preventable. Falls are the third leading cause of hospital readmissions, notably affecting elderly patients. Since 2008, CMS no longer reimburses hospitals for certain traumatic injuries due to falls, highlighting the financial implications with serious injuries costing over $13,000 more per case.<br /><br />Falls are classified as "Never Events" and Hospital Acquired Conditions (HACs), holding hospitals accountable for prevention. Common fall risk factors include advanced age, medication side effects (notably sedatives, antidepressants, benzodiazepines), cognitive impairment, mobility deficits, toileting needs, and environmental hazards like poor lighting or slippery floors. Progressive lenses and infections also increase risk.<br /><br />Assessment tools such as the Johns Hopkins Fall Assessment and Hendrich II model provide structured risk evaluation, assigning points based on patient factors like history of falls, medication use, cognitive status, and mobility. Effective fall prevention involves multifaceted approaches including risk assessments, patient and family education, environmental safety modifications, hourly rounding, use of alarms, and ensuring adequate nurse staffing.<br /><br />Post-fall procedures underscore prompt assessment, documentation, physician notification, and plan-of-care adjustments. Strategies such as "No pass zones," personalized call light messages, sitters, tele-sitting, and toileting schedules reduce fall incidence. Interdisciplinary cooperation guided by resources like AHRQ toolkits, Joint Commission alerts, CDC's STEADI program, and NQF safe practices support systemic fall prevention efforts.<br /><br />The presentation stresses consistent, coordinated, cross-disciplinary culture change from admission to discharge to markedly reduce falls and injuries, improving patient outcomes and decreasing healthcare costs.

Keywords

patient falls

fall prevention

healthcare safety

hospital readmissions

elderly patients

fall risk factors

fall assessment tools

multifaceted prevention strategies

post-fall procedures

interdisciplinary cooperation