Help! I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!

I. Introduction

Show photograph (Reed, 2012)

a. Audience hook: “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” Mrs. Fletcher, the character that made this line infamous, caught the attention of many daytime television viewers. She was promoting the sales of a central dispatch security system (Help, I've Fallen and Can't Get Up!, n.d.). Many generations recognize this catchy phrase without ever seeing the commercial.

b. Thesis statement: Latest research shows that injuries related to inpatient falls can be significantly reduced with the use of institution-specific communication tools and multidisciplinary team education.

c. Main points:

i. Adopted and adapted institution-specific communication tools include the Schmid Fall Risk Assessment tool completed by a Registered Nurse (RN) and the Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment tool completed by a Physical Therapist (PT).

Show Schmid and Tinetti (Vassallo, Stockdale, Sharma, Briggs, & Allen, 2005)

ii. Multidisciplinary team (administration to housekeeping) education includes initial detailed education during orientation with yearly reviews of competency.

II. Tools have been developed to be adopted by institutions and adapted to specific needs, thus making them institution-specific.

a. Fall risk assessment tools by themselves do not prevent falls but rather only predict them (Vassallo, Stockdale, Sharma, Briggs, & Allen, 2005).

b. Optimizing the use of visual cues by members of the multidisciplinary team to clearly alert staff of a patient’s fall risk is important to follow through and facilitate immediate recognition (Hurley, 2009).

Show Magnet for Safety (Reed, Please keep an eye on me)

III. Institution-specific policies and procedures are in place with multidisciplinary (administration to housekeeping) education in orientation and reviewed yearly.

a. Evidence shows that the best fall prevention programs are multifactorial, education being one of those pieces (Ryu, Roche, & Bruntun, 2008).

b. Implement standard interventions and foster accountability, awareness, and teamwork. This approach has been attributed to fall reduction rates (Weinburg, et al., 2011).

IV. Conclusion:

a. Restate thesis: A fall prevention assessment tool plus a clearly visible visual cue equal patient safety and team based success significantly reducing patient falls with the use of institution-specific communication tools and multidisciplinary team education.

b. Recap main points:

i. The cornerstone of a Fall Prevention Program is to adopt an assessment tool or tools and adapt it to your institution