Reducing the Risk of Patient Harm Resulting from Falls
Often events occur in our hospital that, although unfortunate, propel our team of dedicated Beaumont employees to work together to provide a comprehensive solution. Such events include patient falls, which have been analyzed for commonalities, as well as opportunities for improvement.

Our nursing leadership took the reins and employed the assistance of all those who touch patients’ lives. A large, multidisciplinary team was put together to determine some of the causes of patient falls and make recommendations on how they could be prevented. The goal was to engage all members of the Beaumont team to become active participants in patients’ safety.

To eliminate the potential for falls, the team came up with the following recommendations and strategies to ensure our patients’ safety:

• Empower our nursing assistants as patient advocates. This includes having nurses conduct rounds in the patient care areas to promote an active dialogue, as well as authorizing the nursing assistants to initiate the fall-prevention program for patients seen as high risk.
• Promoting a proactive approach to toileting patients (after the pilot program was so successful). Additionally, as a result of a nursing research project, patients’ slippers have been changed to a new “safety slipper” that has non-skid tread on both top and bottom.
• In terms of staff education, the Relationship Results-Oriented Health Care (RROHC) sessions continue. These sessions focus on enhancing communication between nurses and patients.
• Implementation of the Start from the Heart (mobility program) was conducted with staff from physical therapy. There was also a wound care fair, which demonstrated the safety features of some of the beds within our facility.
• Matching fall-prevention options with the variety of beds we have has proved useful for both staff and the safety of our patients.

Keeping the patient at the center of all we do is vital in keeping our patients safe. Providing the highest quality of care to our patients aligns with one of Beaumont’s core values – Everything we do is for the benefit of the patient.