The Health Roundtable 4-4a_HRT1215-Session_NOWIKI_ PCHosp_QLD Falls injury prevention is everyone’s business Presenter: Cherie Franks ND Tracy Nowicki CNC The Prince Charles Hospital Innovation Poster Session HRT1215 – Innovation Awards Sydney 11 th and 12 th Oct

The Health Roundtable KEY PROBLEMS  High incidence of Falls despite falls interventions  Aging population  Falls projects only have short term benefit  Patients being harmed from falls  Various levels of falls compliance throughout the hospital  Inconsistent falls educational material available throughout the hospital  Falls prevention not having centralised management  Staff not engaged with falls  25% of falls related to toileting  Bed not suitable for high falls risk patients  Current call system not suitable for confused patient  Ward staff on transfer of patient not always communicating effectively that the patient has had a fall 2

The Health Roundtable AIM OF THIS INNOVATION  To ensure Falls injury prevention and management is EVERYONE’S BUSINESS  Falls injury prevention and management is important to all disciplines: Nursing Directors to AINs and all disciplines  Standardise falls strategies hospital wide by providing resources in various forms with ongoing awareness  Link Falls, Pressure Injuries, Continence and Nutrition: Whole Person Whole Team  To ensure the falls risk patient is safe  Identify priority risk in our facility by interrogating the electronic incident reports  Provide strategies to promote effective communication of the at risk falls patient 3

The Health Roundtable BASELINE DATA  Development of Program Action Plans  50% of beds throughout hospital are split-side rail beds with low/low function + 20% of beds have low/low function  Introduction of various calls systems i.e. Invisibeam, lanyard, paddle and floor mats  Falls related to inappropriate footwear identified  62% of falls had large skin tears/lacerations 4

The Health Roundtable KEY CHANGES IMPLEMENTED  Trademarked Falls character  Educational materials developed around character  Engaged all levels and disciplines of staff in Falls injury prevention and management  Safe footwear now available in hospital café  Falls now discussed at a program level  Staff engaged in Falls management including Mental Health  Incident reports reviewed daily and feedback to staff and review of patient  Development of a Falls website for staff to access consistent documentation  Introduction of falls notification sticker - 85% compliance last audit 5

The Health Roundtable OUTCOMES SO FAR  Falls courses now booked out  Staff engaged, high involvement in Falls campaign  Increased awareness of falls prevention evidenced by increased incident reporting  84.3% compliance with risk screen assessment  Decrease in severe injury  15.7% reduction in falls incidence after one year’s campaign  36% of falls had large skin tears/lacerations 6

The Health Roundtable LESSONS LEARNT  Don’t underestimate the value of clever marketing to engage staff and protect patients  Plan education sessions and tap into all disciplines expertise  Providing access to a falls prevention and management service in a centralised department makes falls management sustainable and consistent. 7