Fall prevention checklist shows setting the bed alarm most frequently missed intervention

A fall prevention checklist can help caregivers identify frequently missed prevention interventions and areas for improvement in fall prevention protocols, according to a study published in the American Journal of Nursing.

A quality improvement team conducted a 26-day fall prevention initiative, and they collected data on day and night shifts for 13 days each. They implemented a 14-item checklist based on the existing hospital-approved fall prevention protocol.

The checklist was used during change-of-shift handoffs. Thirty-seven nursing staff members — both RNs and nursing assistants — participated in the study. They completed 90 fall prevention checklists.

The study shows there were no patient falls during the study. The most frequently missed intervention was setting the bed alarm. The bed alarm was set incorrectly 19 percent of the time.

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