Slips, Trips, & Falls

Objective:

Activities Required for Diamond Status/Measures:

• 100% of staff complete an in-service training module (PowerPoint Presentation) on slips, trips, and falls.
• Discuss fall prevention with patients.  Have 85% of patients sign the Patient Fall Prevention Education Form and have staff document discussions (in medical record).

Optional Activities:

• Designate one month as Fall Prevention Month and use posters to educate patients.
• Distribute brochure on fall prevention at home.
• Review internal policy for fall risk prevention.
• Review internal policy for safe escort and movement of patients.
• Assess patients for fall risk.
• Conduct quality improvement project, collecting and analyzing data and implementing intervention (PDSA).
• Post Falls Prevention Checklist in prominent location for staff to use.
• Assure common understanding of terminology among patient care staff.

Tools/Resources:

• In-Service Training Module: Slips, Trips, and Falls
• Patient Fall Prevention Education Forms (available in English and Spanish)
• Sample Policy- Fall Risk Prevention
• Sample Policy- Safe Escort and Movement of Patients
• Patient Fall Assessment Score Sheet
• Facility Falls Summary - Monitor for Quality Improvement
• Falls Management Investigation Worksheet
• Falls Prevention Checklist
• Patient Fall Prevention Protocol
• Are We Talking the Same Language?
• Falls Prevention at Home brochure
• CDC Posters on preventing falls
• Falls and Fall Injuries
• AmericanNurseToday.com's Resources on Reducing Patient Falls article

• Completed Project Reporting Form
• In-service attendance log
• Copy of Page 2 of Patient Falls Prevention Education forms signed by patients