Inpatient Fall In Hospital: A Case Study

Change management in reducing the percentage of inpatient fall in hospital.

Fall is defined as being “an event which results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground or floor or other lower level” (World Health Organization, 2012). The author is a registered nurse working in a private hospital. In the author practicing hospital, inpatient fall was identified has a major problem. The targeted aim for inpatient fall is less than 5%. However, the inpatient fall has been increasing drastically from the month of January to May 2014. The statistic shows the inpatient fall’s rate of 10% for the month of January and it has increased to 25% in the month of May.

The quality department has investigated the impact of high rate falls on

Ad hoc and weekly audit were conducted to measure compliance and the effectiveness of health education of fall prevention by registered nurses to patients. During the audit, one or two patients were interviewed to check whether the registered nurses has orientate them regarding fall prevention. Registered nurses also were interviewed and observed on how they perform orientation for patient. The final audit is on the documentation. For example, how the registered nurses do the scoring for high risk patient and how do they fill up the fall assessment form. The nurses should conduct fall risk assessment during the admission and post procedure. The patients who are the high risk, a red identification will be place on the patient’s limbs. A red sticker also is placed at the nursing notes and at patient room door. If the patient is not a high risk patient, the fall assessment is done weekly or upon change in patient condition. Not forgetting pediatric patients, it is a must to nurse patient who are below then three years old in a baby cot. Patel (2010) explained that to ensure and maintain a good quality service for patient, regular audits must be conducted to ensure services which are needed meets the purpose and registered nurses adheres to professional

A positive outcome is achieved. The result from the month of June 2014 to September 2014 has reduced to 8%. Even though, the percentage is still higher than the targeted aim, the trending for inpatient fall shows a downward trending. These results were shared to all staff and doctors. It shows that the strategy plan which has been implemented is success. To maintain the good quality of nursing care and to achieve the target the top management encourage he nurse educators to continue with the continuing nursing education session two time per month. Besides that, quality department works together with nurse manager to continue with the audit to make sure the patient’s education is maintained (Quigley and White,