Fall Prevention Protocol

In 2014, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality began a pilot project that involved hospitals equipped and trained with the AHRQ’s Fall Prevention Tookit over a period of 3 years. As a result of the experiences documented by the pilot project, the AHRQ deployed the Fall Prevention in Hospitals Training Program in 2017. The objective of this training program is to provide hospitals with protocols to prevent patient falls, a leading cause of hospital-acquired conditions. Its content is designed for hospital quality improvement staff, patient safety officers and others who aim to minimize falls through a structured fall prevention initiative based on quality improvement principles.

Following implementation of the program, data from 10 hospitals participating in the pilot project showed a reduction of 14 percent in the average number of falls and a decrease of 20 percent in falls resulting in injury. In rehabilitation and geriatric/psychiatric units, reductions were significantly greater.

To access the training program and implementation guide, click here.

Although not every fall can be prevented, improving methods of fall prevention can go a long way towards increasing safety and reducing injury in our nation’s hospitals. For more information about nurses who can testify about standards of care in falls and other nursing liability issues, contact info@EWnurses.com