The Fall Free Zone
Abstract
The fall prevention project is designed to decrease fall rates in the medical-surgical units by promoting accuracy in identifying fall risk patients and engaging patients in participating with their own safety. The project will follow Kotter’s change model to address the urgent need for reducing fall rates(Webster & Webster, 2018). A falls taskforce committee is already in place pursuing the goal mentioned. Engaging the staff members and leaders will be accomplished through reeducation of policies and procedures, admission process and the accurate use of the SCHMID Assessment Tool. These will take place during staff meetings, huddles and roving learning cart. Unit champions will be assigned in each unit to help reinforce information and process changes. A continuous evaluation will be recorded through risk management chart audits and environmental checks that will be done by the risk manager and unit leaders respectively. All actions will be geared towards increasing awareness of the importance of accurate documentation and collaboration of all staff members, leadership and patients towards achieving a culture of patient safety(HPOE, 2016).
