First Advisor

Alma Jackson

College

Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

School

Loretto Heights School of Nursing

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Number of Pages

57 pages

Abstract

Executive Summary

Fall reduction among Elderly residents in skilled nursing facility



Problem

Falls among elderly or older adults is a serious issue in skilled nursing facilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012), about 1800 residents living in nursing homes die annually from falls and fall-related injuries. Those who survive sustain injuries that might cause permanent disability. Some of the facilities use bed alarms as a preventive measure. Despite the use of these bed alarms, the fall rates in these skilled facilities still remains high. The problem statement describing this capstone project is: In (P) nursing staff in skilled nursing facility, (I) staff education and implementation of hourly rounds and use of bed alarm, (C) when compared to the use of bed alarm only (O) decrease in the incidence of falls?



Purpose

The purpose of this capstone project is to assess whether hourly rounding by staff and the use of bed alarm will decrease the incidence of falls in skilled nursing facility.



Goal

The goal of this project is to serve residents in the skilled nursing facility by providing an intervention rooted in evidence based practice aimed at decreasing the incidence of falls and promoting quality of life.



Objectives

The project objectives included: to reduce the fall rate by 50% in six months; to reduce the fall rate by 75% in one year; and to increase the supervision of residents by nursing staff.



Plan

This project utilized Zaccagnini and Whites (2011) Doctor of Nursing Practice Process Model. The project identified through a needs assessment and comprehensive literature review that despite the use of bed alarms in skilled nursing facilities, the rate of falls was still high. This information provided the framework which developed the goals and objectives, guided the theoretical foundation, and initiated specific plans for the work, evaluation, and implementation after Institutional Review Board approval was obtained from the facility and Regis University.



Outcomes and Results

The implementation of hourly rounding using the 4 P’s reduced the fall rate in the facility by 13.3% and the use of bed alarm by 9.5%. It was concluded that there was a decrease in the incidence of falls following the implementation of bed alarm and hourly rounding using the 4 P’s.

Date of Award

Spring 2016

Location (Creation)

Colorado (state); Denver (county); Denver (inhabited place)

Rights Statement

All content in this Collection is owned by and subject to the exclusive control of Regis University and the authors of the materials. It is available only for research purposes and may not be used in violation of copyright laws or for unlawful purposes. The materials may not be downloaded in whole or in part without permission of the copyright holder or as otherwise authorized in the “fair use” standards of the U.S. copyright laws and regulations.

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