Essay NRS 493 Topic 2 Capstone Project Selection and Approval KR

NRS 493 Topic 2 Capstone Project Selection and Approval KR

NRS 493 Topic 2 Capstone Project Selection and Approval KR

NRS 493 Topic 2 Capstone Project Selection and Approval KR

The Problem or issue that will be focused

Meeting with the mentor at my practicum site, we cooperated on an issue that the institution was encountering, which was a greater rate of patient falls in the facility. My practice is at a skilled care facility, and I specialize in gerontology and rehabilitation. It is a long-term or rehabilitative care facility mostly occupied by geriatric patients aged 65 and up. Patient fall is one of the most serious issues confronting many organizations. Unfamiliar surroundings, severe sickness, surgery, bed rest, drugs, therapies, and the insertion of numerous tubes and catheters are all frequent problems that put patients at risk of falling. Falls are traumatic for patients, family members, and healthcare providers.

Practicum Setting 

My practice is at a skilled care facility, and I specialize in gerontology and rehabilitation. It is a long-term or rehabilitative care facility mostly occupied by geriatric patients aged 65 and up. Having said that, high fall rates in a long-term care or rehab center can lead to the organization running inefficiently and poor patient outcomes.

Problem Detailed Description

Evidence-based practice fall intervention strategies in the hospital setting” is the topic of my capstone project for this course. Falls are a leading cause of injury and death for millions of people aged 65 and over each year. Regardless of where they reside, older folks are at risk of falling for a variety of reasons. Any abrupt descent from one surface to a lower surface is defined as a fall. A 10-step process will be given, including fall screening, full fall assessment, gait and balance screening where needed, and a tailored fall intervention program targeting particular fall risks. During hourly rounds with patients, our nursing and support staff should inquire about the traditional 5 Ps: potty, pain, position, possessions, and a peaceful atmosphere. Reassessing fall risk and fall prevention programs will offer a proactive approach to minimizing falls in the older population. Maintain beds at a low position, with brakes engaged and bed ends in place. For the proper age and patient group, side rails and cot sides should be increased. For ambulating patients, appropriate non-slip footwear should be used. Nurse call should be easily accessible; patients and family should be educated on how to use it.

NRS 493 Topic 2 Capstone Project Selection and Approval KR

Impact and Significant of Problem

Patient falls are prevalent in hospitals and can result in undesirable consequences such as injuries, longer hospitalization, and legal liabilities. Falls can result in fractured bones such as wrist, arm, ankle, and hip fractures. Falls can result in head injuries. These can be quite dangerous, especially if the individual is on certain medications (like blood thinners). The detection of the incidence of falls is an essential step in the screening and rehabilitation of the elderly. The methods for monitoring these occurrences are prone to recording biases, and selecting the best accurate approach remains difficult.

Essay NRS 493 Topic 2 Capstone Topic Summary KR

Proposal to Problem

The proposed solution to this problem is to assess and analyze fall causes and risk factors and then optimizing the hospital setting and physical environment as well as overall design to suit with the patient population. For instance, Institute the use of fall alert color-coded bracelets to clearly communicate with the staff patients’ fall risk status and identify fall risk patients.

References 

Boltz, M., Capezuti, E., Zwicker, D., & Fulmer, T. T. (Eds.). (2020). Evidence-based geriatric nursing protocols for best practice. Springer Publishing Company.

Casey, C. M., Parker, E. M., Winkler, G., Liu, X., Lambert, G. H., & Eckstrom, E. (2017). Lessons learned from implementing CDC’s STEADI falls prevention algorithm in primary care. The Gerontologist, 57(4), 787-796.

Heng, H., Jazayeri, D., Shaw, L., Kiegaldie, D., Hill, A. M., & Morris, M. E. (2020). Hospital falls prevention with patient education: a scoping review. BMC geriatrics, 20(1), 1-12.

Kruschke, C., & Butcher, H. K. (2017). Evidence-based practice guideline: fall prevention for older adults. Journal of gerontological nursing, 43(11), 15-21.

NRS 493 Topic 2 Capstone Project Selection and Approval KR

Melin, C. M. (2018). Reducing falls in the inpatient hospital setting. International journal of evidence-based healthcare, 16(1), 25-31.

Paul, S. (2018). Falls: prevention and management. In Geriatric medicine (pp. 109-119). Springer, Singapore.

Shaw, L. K., Kiegaldie, D., Morris, M. E., & Jones, C. (2021). Improving hospital falls screening and mitigation using a health professional education framework. Nurse Education Today, 98, 104695.

Slade, S. C., Carey, D. L., Hill, A. M., & Morris, M. E. (2017). Effects of falls prevention interventions on falls outcomes for hospitalised adults: protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis. BMJ open, 7(11), e017864.

Spano-Szekely, L., Winkler, A., Waters, C., Dealmeida, S., Brandt, K., Williamson, M., … & Wright, F. (2019). Individualized fall prevention program in an acute care setting: an evidence-based practice improvement. Journal of nursing care quality, 34(2), 127-132.

NRS 493 Topic 2 Capstone Project Selection and Approval KR