Date of Conferral
2021
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
MARY VERKLAN
Abstract
AbstractFalls pose major healthcare problems in long-term care (LTC) facilities. Falls significantly impede quality of life for the elderly and their caregivers. The purpose of the project was to determine if the fall prevention program Stopping Elderly Accidents Deaths & Injuries (STEADI) increased staff knowledge regarding fall prevention and reduced fall rates at the LTC setting. The project addressed whether educating LTC staff regarding a fall prevention program could increase their knowledge of fall prevention and decrease the rate of falls. The gap identified was that nurses lacked education regarding fall prevention strategies. The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model was the evidence-based practice framework guiding the implementation of the project. A pretest and posttest questionnaire were used to explore LTC facility staff’s knowledge before and after the implementation. Deidentified retrospective and prospective data related to falls were collected from the Assistant Director of Nursing. Analysis of findings from comparison of pre and posttest questionnaires completed by nursing staff (N = 55) using descriptive statistics found a 75% increase in staff knowledge regarding fall prevention, the STEADI tool, and how to use it in the LTC setting. STEADI effectively reduced fall rates from an average of 19 to 7 occurrences in one month following implementation, indicating a 40% decrease in fall rates. Recommendations were made to continue to use STEADI to decrease the rate of falls in the LTC and evaluate its effectiveness in the long term. Maintaining quality of life, residents’ safety, improved resident care, and decreased healthcare costs at the LTC will lead to positive social change
Recommended Citation
Ofosuhene, Afua, "Staff Development Project for Fall Prevention in Long-Term Care" (2021). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 10165.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/10165
