Nicole DeMase
HCS/587
September 1, 2014
Doria Chege
Organizational Change Plan
Falls are a common cause of morbidity and the leading cause of nonfatal injuries and trauma-related hospitalizations in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Falls can occur in home and as well as in any health care facility. In hospitals, falls consistently make up the largest single category of reported incidents, with most falls occurring as a result of medication related issues, toileting, and hospital environment conditions. With falls accounting for the leading cause of injuries in hospital, it is imperative that environment safety and fall prevention is addressed in facilities. This change plan will include the need for implementation of a fall risk assessment and fall precautions, barriers to …show more content…
Education provides the patient with the knowledge of the importance of safety and what part he or she contributes in their care as well as risk factor identified. Fall prevention programs are designed to determine fall risk and prevention strategies while collaborating with the patient’s health care. Informing both the patient and the family will bring an understanding and mindfulness to fall prevention. Falls are devastating to both the patient and the hospital considering a single fall may result in a downward spiral of reduced mobility with a loss of function and further risk of falls. Along with proper education, fall risk assessments are vital to the fall prevention process. These fall risk assessment are implemented hospital wide and are conducted every shift, change in status, during transfers to different units and at discharge (St. Peter’s Hospital, 2012). Compliance and consistency reduces falls and the overall cost of falls throughout the hospital improving the