Falls In Acute Care Essay

Patients’ Fall in Acute Care Facilities Patients’ falls are considered the number one reported adverse events in acute care facilities (Choi, et al., 2011). One study found that falls affect 40% of inpatients in acute care settings, where the prevalence is 3–6 falls per 1000 patient days and the injury rate is 40% ((Kim, et al., 2007). In addition, falls had been identified as the leading cause of nonfatal injuries and trauma-related hospitalizations in the United States (Hicks, 2015, p. 51). Studies have shown that people aged 65 years or older suffer injury from falls. Injuries from falls include fractured skull, subdural hematoma, bleeding, and even death (Kim, et al., 2007). Another known fact about falls is they are associated with extended hospital stays, increased health care costs, and litigation against hospitals (Choi, et al., 2011

Why A Problem Events of falls not only impact the patients and their families, but the hospital as well. To the patients, a fall causes injuries that lead to mortality, morbidity, and early nursing home placement (Kim, et al., 2007). In addition, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 20% of patients who fell,

The model is represented as an algorithm that illustrates the problem solving and decision-making processes to “identify either a problem-focused trigger or a knowledge-focused trigger where an EBP change might be warranted” (Brown, 2014, p. 157). The model follows the concepts of EBP because it considers input from the entire organizational system, including the patient, providers, and organizational infrastructure, and involves nurses in each of the steps (Schaffer, et al., 2013). Thus, researchers have reported successful use of the Iowa Model in a variety of settings to guide decisions and implementation for practice change (Schaffer, et al.,