Date of Award
Summer 2024
Document Type
DNP Executive Summary
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Family Nurse Practitioner
Department
Nursing
Faculty Chair
Dr. Kimberly Helms
Preceptor
Michelle Hoehn
Abstract
Background: Patient falls are a continuous issue in healthcare facilities because they increase patient length of stay and hospitals receive no reimbursement for these falls from insurance providers. Falls are a patient safety issue and can result in long-lasting damage for patients in the healthcare facility, including fear of ambulation. Falls in a facility can impact a facility’s ability to meet strategic planning goals and receive state and federal funding.
Purpose: The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project aimed to reduce inpatient falls during shift change by implementing an evidence-based bedside shift reporting (BSR) protocol.
Methods: Quantitative data collection was used as the outcome measurement for the project and included the total number of falls occurring over twelve weeks per 1,000 bed days.
Results: The facility saw a reduction in patient falls of 1.96 falls per 1,000 bed days during the twelve-week project, the equivalent of an 88% reduction.
Conclusion: Implementing bedside shift reporting has been proven to benefit facilities as a system-wide intervention. When facilitated properly, fall risk goals are easier to meet, patient safety is improved, and patient satisfaction is greatly enhanced.
Recommended Citation
Blackerby, Halie, "Implementing Bedside Shift Reporting on an Adult Medical-Surgical Unit: An Evidence-Based Intervention for Inpatient Fall Reduction" (2024). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 122.
https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/etds_nursing/122
DNP Project Poster
Blackerby DNP Slide Presentation.pdf (1061 kB)
DNP Slide Presentation