Poster Presentation at Forever Autumn COP Falls Conference 2015 - Louise Brent

1. Challenges and Support:
Throughout the process we have encountered many
challenges including staff attitudes, lack of funding
and clinical pressures. We have participated as part
of a Falls Awareness Study Day organised by UHW
in September 2014. Our future aims are to gain
funding for equipment, continue staff education,
gain representation of support staff in our Falls
Group and bridge the gap in falls communication
and management between acute and community
services.
Benefits and Outcomes:
In 2013, members of the UHW Falls Management
Group joined a National Falls Collaborative, in
conjunction with the National Quality Improvement
Programme, to consolidate our work to date and
gain from the experience of our peers.
As part of this we even went into the movie
business and created our own falls video entitled
“Operation TransFALLmation”! This video can be
viewed at https://vimeo.com/87506069: the
password is – falls.
Results:
From 2012 to 2013 we have had an 8% reduction in
the overall number of falls and more important l
falls resulting in a fracture decreased by a
significant 62.5%. We have also been able to
highlight prevalence of falls in each ward and
highlight trends such as the times of day most falls
occur, location etc that we can feedback to staff on
a regular basis. The group has also attained a
permanent training slot in the hospital mandatory
clinical safety update training days which all staff
must attend.
If you would like to receive an
electronic copy of our falls
information leaflet please email:
Louise.brent@hse.ie or
KarenM.Power@hse.ie
Operation ‘TransFALLmation’
Falls Management Group
University Hospital Waterford
Authors: Power, K,. Poole, G., Brent, L., Jones, B., O’Shea, L., O’Neill, A
Background:
In University Hospital Waterford (UHW) the
overall aim of the hospital is to provide high
quality and safe patient care. In relation to
inpatient falls, there was a lack of continuity
within the hospital in addressing this problem.
Aims:
• Reduce the overall incidence of falls within
UHW
• Reduce the falls resulting in harm
• Raise the awareness of falls within the entire
organisation
• Promote good post fall management
• Provide patient and staff education and support
Patient Safety Initiative:
A falls management group was re-established in
the hospital in 2012, which is multidisciplinary
including staff from both hospital and
community settings.
A new hospital falls policy was developed
including rigorous assessment and reassessment
of all patients regarding their Falls Risk. Orange
was selected as the colour associated with
patients at risk of falling and this was clearly
highlighted throughout our information,
including packs provided to each clinical area
for post fall management. We have developed
two leaflets for patient and family education and
an algorithm for the management of falls. We
have improved the signage around the hospital
in relation to falls and positioned information
pertaining to safe medication prescribing and
falls in clinical areas. We have rolled out the
safety cross to all clinical areas; compliance
with this is our main goal at the moment to
facilitate more real time information for ward
staff. A monthly newsletter is written by the
falls management group and distributed to all
hospital staff.