Safe patient handling and mobility quality improvement initiative
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To fulfill the requirements for my Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) degree, my capstone project focused on enhancing fall prevention strategies at Lake Regional Health System (LRHS). My project aimed to improve the compliance of fall prevention interventions in the medical-surgical (med-surg) unit by implementing a fall prevention program focused on safe patient handling and mobility education for nursing technicians (techs). Using a quasi-experimental approach over 14 weeks, I developed and delivered evidence-based education to 61 nursing techs during the hospital’s annual Tech Skills Fair. Key fall prevention techniques such as proper use of gait belts, mobility devices, and mechanical lifts were emphasized. The initiative resulted in a 9% increase in fall prevention intervention compliance within three weeks of the training. In addition to the education, my project also involved revising fall prevention posters and standardizing orientation and re-orientation procedures for nursing techs. These efforts are in the process of implementation and will contribute to the sustainability of patient safety efforts made by my quality improvement initiative. The outcomes of my capstone project underscore the importance of providing targeted education to nursing techs to improve compliance and safety outcomes in a hospital’s med-surg unit.
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