Madison Patient Safety Collaborative

Making Madison the safest place to receive healthcare

Patient Falls Initiative - Provider and Patient Education

To supplement all of the project components, education was provided to both patients and providers on facets of falls and fall prevention. Nurses from several units at each hospital, known as Unit Safety Champions, were convened for an education session to highlight key issues related to patient falls and arm each of them with fall prevention knowledge and strategies to take back to their units. Each unit designated a unit champion and were trained on:

Fall risk factors and assessment tools
Prevalence and consequences of falls
Impact of medications like sleepers on mobility and cognition
Environmental/room safety
The role of the unit champion as a resource in individualizing the patient care plan

Fact sheets on the effects of sleeping aid medications were provided to member physicians, nurses, pharmacists and patients. As well, one team member provided repeated face-to-face education to medical staff on fall aspects and prevention at unit rounds, staff meetings, and Grand Rounds, and worked with physician liaisons at three hospitals. The patient and family members’ role in helping to prevent falls has also been incorporated into educational admission materials, patient handouts and signs in patient rooms.

One of the hospitals has also identified further specialized training for nurses as Geriatric Resource Nurses. In addition to other factors that play a role in falls, such as incontinence, this program focuses largely on fall prevention. Employing this national program, Hospital A will train a number of nurses, who will act as consultants for units throughout the hospital. Through the MPSC, Hospital A could share information about the best practices and lessons learned through this program and its impact on fall prevention. Other hospitals will then have the opportunity to determine whether they are interested in adopting the program in a continued effort to reduce falls.

Education on key aspects of falls and fall prevention has been provided to patients, physicians, nurses and other staff:

Unit Based Experts received comprehensive training on aspects of falls. 100% reported that the training met its objectives and armed them with practical strategies they could take back to their units to prevent falls.
On-going face to face education was provided to medical staff on falls and the impact of medications like sleepers.
Fact sheets on the effects of sleeping aid medications were provided to member physicians, nurses, pharmacists—and patients.
The patient and family members’ role in helping to prevent falls was also incorporated in educational admission materials and signs in patient rooms.