NURS FPX 6414 Assessment 1 Conference Poster Presentation

Abstract 

Healthcare professionals work tirelessly to keep patients safe and healthy, and they put a lot of focus on stopping declines. Falls are a major cause of injuries that go unnoticed. According to the CDC (2020), falls cause about 2.8 million emergency services calls in the United States each year. Falls occur in both hospital and social settings due to various factors, including cognitive impairments, restricted mobility, and incontinence (Lelorin and Noise, 2019). 

There are between 700,000 and 1 million falls in hospitals every year, or 3.5 to 9.5 falls for every 1,000 bed days (Lelaurin & Shorr, 2019). A study conducted by Gallet et al. (2018) with 931 participants revealed that 633 individuals were at an elevated risk for falls attributable to cognitive impairments, mobility limitations, and incontinence. One fall can mean longer hospital stays, more expensive care, and worse outcomes for patients. 

The informatics team at OhioHealth made the Schmid tool to help people not fall. This structured assessment finds patients who are likely to fall and provides you a way to help them (Lee et al., 2019). The tool checks how well someone thinks, moves, uses the bathroom, falls, and takes medicine. This study examines the effectiveness of the Schmid tool in improving patient safety and overall healthcare outcomes through data-driven results. 

Introduction 

Falls are a big problem for public health, especially for people who are recovering from an injury. Every year, about 2.8 million adults need emergency medical care because they fell and hurt themselves (LeLaurin & Shorr, 2019). In hospitals, people stay longer and pay more for medical care, with 700,000 to 1 million falls happening each year (Lelaurin & Shorr, 2019). Falls have a big effect on patient safety and healthcare costs, so it’s important to take steps to stop them. 

The Schmid tool is a popular way to check for patients who are more likely to fall. It looks at important things like how well you can move around, think, use the bathroom, and take your medicine, and how often you’ve fallen. It is important to evaluate how well this tool works in order to improve fall prevention strategies and patient care outcomes. 

Analyzing the Use of the Informatics Model 

The Schmid tool for assessing fall risk sorts patients into four main groups: mobility, cognitive function, toileting ability, and medication use (Amundsen et al., 2020). There are specific subcategories in each area that help healthcare professionals figure out which patients need new fall prevention measures. 

Mobility tests how well a patient can move, from fully mobile to immobile. Cognitive function is evaluated by measuring alertness, confusion, disorientation, or lack of response. Toilet use is rated from being able to do it alone to being unable to do it. Finally, the use of medications is assessed according to their classifications, such as anticonvulsants, psychotropics, and analgesics, all of which may increase the risk of falls (Amundsen et al., 2020).

Literature Review 

Even though fall prevention strategies have gotten better, falls are still a problem for healthcare facilities. Falls are one of the most common causes of injury, disability, and death in older adults, and they have a big impact on their quality of life. Furthermore, hospitals are having trouble with money because healthcare costs are going up and people are staying in the hospital longer. Medicare and Medicaid stopped paying for fall-related injuries in 2008, which shows how important it is to establish effective fall prevention measures (LeLaurin & Shorr, 2019). 

Research emphasizes the growing imperative to reduce falls among elderly patients with a history of such events, leading to more effective prevention strategies and social support systems (Bile et al., 2018). Falls continue to be the leading cause of injury-related fatalities among individuals aged 65 and older in the United States, presenting obstacles to the implementation of evidence-based interventions such as the Schmid tool (CDC, 2020).

Conclusion 

The study’s results show how important it is to use structured fall prevention tools in hospitals. Falls cause many injuries and deaths, especially in older people. Healthcare organizations can lower fall rates, make patients safer, and improve overall healthcare outcomes by using data-driven tools like the Schmid tool.

NURS FPX 6414 Assessment 1 Conference Poster Presentation 

Galet, C., Kelly, C., & DeCicco, T. (2018). This study focuses on understanding the consequences of falls among elderly populations, particularly regarding hospital readmissions. Journal of Elderly Care, 12(3), 213–222. Lee, K., Spangler, D., & Clark, T. (2019). OhioHealth conducted a case study on the application of the Schmid tool to prevent falls. Nursing Informatics, 45(1), 33–40. LeLaurin, J., & Shorr, R. (2019). This article presents a literature review focused on patient falls in hospitals. Journal of Patient Safety, 15(4), 233-239.