Date of Graduation

Fall 12-17-2021

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Program

MSN project

First Advisor

Lisa Brozda

Abstract

Patient falls are unfortunate events in healthcare that are an essential quality improvement focus during patients’ hospital stays. At Hospital X, a private institution located in the suburbs of a large city, there had been 23 maternal falls within the last three years. This increase in maternal fall rate puts this hospital’s maternity unit above the average of other hospital’s fall rates according to the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators. This quality improvement project aimed to reduce the rate of maternal falls on postpartum units through various forms of staff education. Education included Morse Fall Scale scoring, Sara Stedy and bedpan usage, neurological checks, and 60-second dangles. Other interventions were a “Call Don’t Fall” poster to remind patients of the use of their call button prior to ambulation, and a one-page flyer for postpartum nurses recapping the staff education mentioned previously. The project measures included patient fall audits, environmental and staff surveys, literature searches, and an analysis of data trends. Despite the project’s interventions, three more maternal falls occurred post-implementation of staff education. Recommendations for future steps include moving towards an OB-specific fall tool, standardizing both vaginal and cesarean ambulation protocols, and conducting a level IV education plan.

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