Falls are dangerous no matter where they occur. The effects of surgery, anesthesia, hospitalization, and pain medications can impact patients’ balance and mobility and can put them at increased risk for falling. New England Baptist Hospital measures the number of patients who fall and the number of patients who are injured as a result of a slip or fall while in the Hospital.
How Are We Performing?
The NEBH overall fall rate continues to outperform the national benchmark of 2.72 patient falls/1000 patient days.
How Do We Continuously Improve?
NEBH has created a multidisciplinary team of clinical experts, all focused on our goal of continuing to reduce our fall rate. This team works together by:
- Assessing patient mobility and risk level daily.
- Developing an individualized safety plan for each patient, which may include posting a fall risk on the communication board.
- Educating patients and family members about techniques to minimize the likelihood of falling.
- Conducting safety rounds on regular intervals to assist patients.
- If a patient is identified as high risk for a fall, a yellow sign is posted outside their room door to communicate to all staff to take special precautions to ensure safety. We also provide yellow wrist bands and yellow non-skid socks for patients. These yellow visual cues alert the staff and family members that they may need help walking and getting in and out of bed.
- If a fall does occur, a post fall huddle is held immediately to determine how the fall happened and to discuss future prevention strategies.
- You can assist in NEBH’s efforts while in the hospital by calling for assistance with mobility.
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