CREATIVE INNOVATIONS A year of focused
attention on patient falls achieved its goal WELLSTAR KENNESTONE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER Nurses led a multi-level effort to understand more about falls with injury and develop plans and protocols to significantly reduce them. A review of fall incident reports at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center revealed an opportunity for improvement. At the end of the 2023 fiscal year, the hospital’s Falls Committee set a goal to reduce the rate of inpatient nursing unit falls from 0.61 to 0.43 falls per patient over the course of a year. Under the leadership of executive sponsor Chenille Jones, MSN, RN, CNL, the committee got to work. Debriefings of every fall incident were conducted during daily safety huddles. Weekly and monthly summaries of fall trends were shared with nursing directors and executive directors for review with managers. On the department level, the introduction of Centrella beds enhanced team members’ ability to monitor bed alarms. Nursing departments included a review of fall-prevention elements in bedside shift reports. Fall prevention audits were conducted and highlighted on visual management boards, and post-fall documentation was prioritized. Based on an assessment of the types, quantities and locations of fall-prevention equipment throughout the hospital, steps were taken to ensure that team members have easy access to gait belts and walkers for every patient. The Kennestone initiative also included pilots, including a trial of bedside fall mats for patients at increased risk. Four departments piloted the use of care partners to focus on mobility beyond toileting. As a result of these efforts, Kennestone saw a decrease of 76% in falls with injury, and a drop of 18% in total falls from FY23. Congratulations on a focused and successful initiative! n
TEAMWORK Nurses welcome community to heart health fair WELLSTAR PAULDING MEDICAL CENTER Increasing heart health education and awareness was the goal of a new community program. Certified by the Joint Commission as a Primary Heart Attack Center, Wellstar Paulding Medical Center is laser focused on preventing and treating heart disease. Providing heart health education and resources to the community is an important part of that commitment. Heart Failure Nurse Navigator Holly Holtzclaw, BSN, RN, OCN, came up with the idea of a Heart Health Fair. She partnered with Paulding nursing colleagues to voluntarily plan, promote and staff the September 2023 event. The fair, which was held in the hospital’s atrium lobby, attracted some 200 visitors. The goal was to bring heart health education and awareness to patients, families, team members and others in the community. The event promoted heart failure classes, cardiac wellness programs and steps for self-care. There was a hands-only CPR demo, as well as raffle gifts and other prizes. Supporting Holly were event volunteers, including cardiac educators/clinical nurses Becky Falkins, MSN, RN, CVRN-BC, and Rhonda Higginbotham, BSN, RN; as well as Heather Haney, BSN, RN, CMSRN, and Michelle Powell, BSN, RN. Congratulations to Holly and her team, who hope to make the fair an annual event. n
76% reduction in the number of patient falls with injury
18% reduction in total falls
14 | WELLSTAR HEALTH SYSTEM
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