Date of Graduation

Fall 12-13-2024

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Program

Kaiser cohort MSN capstone

First Advisor

Ashia Mar

Second Advisor

Kristen Lombard

Abstract

Falls among hospitalized patients remain a critical safety concern, particularly in medical-surgical units caring for geriatric and oncology patients. This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate and address gaps in adherence to fall prevention protocols by utilizing the Hester Davis Scale (HDS) in two medical-surgical units at a large metropolitan hospital in Southern California. The project focused on auditing current practices to identify inconsistencies in documentation and intervention implementation, emphasizing areas such as bed alarm activation, fall risk signage placement, and armband use. Weekly audits were conducted from October 3 to October 29, 2024, to establish baseline data and inform the development of a Falls Safety Checklist. Results highlighted significant gaps in compliance, with armband application at 68.75%, proper fall signage at 49.25%, and bed alarm activation at 49.25%. These findings underscore the need for standardized interventions and consistent monitoring to improve adherence to fall prevention practices. While the checklist was not implemented during the project timeline, its design serves as a future recommendation to enhance patient safety and reduce fall rates in high-risk units.

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