Date of Conferral
8-27-2026
Date of Award
August 2026
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Susan Huehn
Abstract
Patient falls remain a major patient safety concern, particularly among hospitalized stroke patients who are at increased risk because of impaired mobility, neurological deficits, and cognitive changes. The inpatient stroke unit selected for this quality improvement project consistently reported the highest fall rates within the hospital system, highlighting the need for evidence-based interventions. The purpose of this project was to determine whether a structured fall-prevention education program incorporating evidence-based practices and the 4Ps of purposeful rounding (pain, potty, position, and possessions) would improve staff knowledge, increase compliance with fallprevention practices, and reduce patient falls over a 2-month period. Guided by the PlanDo-Study-Act (PDSA) framework, the project was implemented through three iterative phases: baseline education and assessment, reinforcement of practice changes, and evaluation of outcomes with sustainability planning. Increased staff awareness was accompanied by greater compliance with recommended fall-prevention practices. The intervention was also associated with fewer patient falls and improved staff knowledge, contributing to safer patient outcomes. The project also supported diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by promoting standardized, equitable fall-prevention practices for all patients regardless of age, race, ethnicity, language, disability, or socioeconomic status. To sustain improvements, recommendations include ongoing staff education, annual competency assessments, regular compliance audits, and continued monitoring of fall rates. Limitations include implementation on a single neurological stroke unit, a relatively short two-month evaluation period, and the absence of a randomized control group, which limits the generalizability of findings and the ability to establish causality.
Recommended Citation
Chiangeh, Courage duin, "Reducing Inpatient Falls Through Staff Education" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 20668.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/20668
