AACN CNL Summit Poster Showcase
CNL Practice
Background/Introduction: Patient falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in the elderly in rehab and long-term care settings. The Wireless Fall Prevention System consists of a wireless monitor that connects to the chair pads, commode pads, and non-restraint seatbelts.
Purpose/Learner Objectives: The purpose of the pilot study was to reduce falls and falls with injury on the 30-bed rehab unit from the rate of 4.13 to 2.5 by the end of September 2020 by utilizing the Chair, commode, and seatbelt exit alarm. This evidence-based practice aims to prevent falls in the elderly, especially the residents with cognitive impairments in the community living center.
Methods OR Process/Procedures: A collection of the randomized pilot study tested the outcomes of an intervention aimed to increase bed alarm, chair, and commode alarm use in the rehab unit. An electronic data collection of all falls captured from the Inpatient Evaluation Center (IPEC) per patient day monthly on rehab unit one year from the start of the initiative.
Results: From the pilot, the fall rate improved from 4.13 (Falls per 1,000 patient-days) to 1.12 in rehab by September 2020. The call light response time increased from 1.17 to 0.59 seconds. The patients never had any major injuries after a fall during the study. According to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ, 2017), the cost saving is approximately $34,294 per hospital fall.
Limitations: This fall prevention system proved to be effective in a 30-bed rehab unit and plans to replicate it in acute care units and long-term care.
Conclusions: Most of the falls are preventable in the hospital or long-term care setting. The utilization of the wireless Fall Prevention System in rehab aided the nursing staff to respond immediately when a patient in need of assistance.
Video Script
Jessy Cherukunnathu
MSN, RN, CNL, CMSRN
Biography
Jessy Cherukunnathu is currently working as a Clinical Nurse Leader at Dallas VA Medical Center, Dallas, TX since April 2020. She has been in the nursing field for 33 years and has experience in multiple settings such as inpatient acute care, ICU, labor room, and primary care clinics.
Ms. Jessy has functioned in varying roles to include staff development specialist, supervisor, charge nurse, and primary nurse. She mentors peers and precepts new nurses and student nurses. Ms. Jessy works to improve patient safety through patient-centered care strategies and making informed health care decisions related to the plan of care.
Email: jessy_moolayil@yahoo.co.uk