Project Implementation

Patient falls are one of the most concerning healthcare problems. They represent significant compromises to the quality and safety of care operationalizations. Fall prevention programs, such as the fall TIPS toolkit, lowers fall rates within long-term care facilities (Shao et al., 2023). The proposed project sought to implement fall TIPS in nursing care facilities: Project Implementation.

Implementation

Implementing the Fall TIPS program followed a multi-step process that began with staff recruitment. Staff members from the nursing care facility under research were recruited through a formal invitation (Appendix A). All recruits were informed of the project’s goals and their roles in ensuring its success.

The second step was to secure a buy-in from the stakeholders. This involved communicating the need for the fall TIPS program in fall prevention and how the intervention will contribute to the safety improvement efforts. Periodic educational sessions on fall TIPS and the program were also organized to help create excitement and ensure all participants had a robust understanding of the project (Burnes, 2019). This helped secure a buy-in from the participants.

The third step was to create an implementation plan. Here, nurse leaders conducted a fall risk assessment on all the residents and identified their fall risk status and the risk factors for falls. The elucidated factors were then compiled into a checklist.

Further, evidence-based fall interventions aligned with the fall risks and risk factors were determined for each resident. Participants were trained on their roles, the three-step fall prevention process, and how they can use the fall TIPS tool to prevent falls (Misaghian et al., 2024).

The fall TIPS tool was then implemented. This entailed printing the identified checklist of fall risk status and factors in a poster design. The fall TIPS instruction detailing the three-stepped fall prevention process and a fall information sheet for each resident were also printed. Each printout was then dispersed to the bedside of the respective resident.

Staff members were then educated on the tool. During the training session, members were informed of the components of the printout, their significance, and how they can be used to curtail patient falls within the facility.

Diverse communication channels were established to ensure steady communication between all stakeholders involved. A dedicated call line was created to handle all queries that the team may be having regarding the tool. Likewise, virtual groups, such as WhatsApp groups, were created to enhance the visibility of all group activities. Data was collected every three days through survey forms.

Project Cost

The project cost 52 dollars. The funds went into designing and printing the posters and patient information sheets. There was a return on investment from the project as the project helped reduce fall rates within the nursing care facility by 62%. This helped save costs that would otherwise be used to treat injuries associated with patient falls (Lee et al., 2024).

Instruments for Data Collection

Data was collected through summative surveys administered after the program (Appendix B). The items on the survey form were adopted from the working objectives of the program and the expected outcomes. Participants, in this respect, were interrogated for their understanding of the fall TIPS tool.

Human Subject Protection and IRB Approval

The project integrated human participants. Participants were protected through anonymity. Informed consent was obtained from each subject before the initiation of the project (Appendix C). IRB approval was also sought.

Data Protection

Data from the project was collected and stored in a secure laptop. The data collection processes were facilitated by the investigators. The laptop used had security features, such as user verification processes.

Access to the laptop and subsequent folder containing the recording was preserved by the project manager. The project does not require the collection of personally identifiable data. Data will be destroyed after 12 months.

Data Analysis

Data obtained from the survey forms was analyzed through content analysis. The data obtained demonstrated the impact of fall TIPS on fall prevention over six months. It revealed a 62.5% reduction in fall rates within the review period.

Project Sustainability

The project is sustainable. This is because it utilizes ready resources, such as staff members, and can be executed with limited resource considerations. Likewise, fall prevention interventions remain necessary across care settings (Bargmann & Brundrett, 2020).

Project Evaluation

Formative Evaluation

Formative evaluation was attained through weekly staff meetings. This enabled emerging concerns to be addressed. Through these evaluations, the DNP manager was able to ascertain members’ understanding of the deliverables and track their progress in meeting the projected outcomes.

Summative Evaluation

The project was summatively evaluated against the expected outcomes and objectives. The program was successful as it met its goal of reducing fall rates. A 62.5% reduction in fall rates was noted after implementing the fall TIPS program.

Dissemination of Information

The project will be published in the university’s journal. This will enhance its visibility to other learners. Likewise, findings will be tabulated, and the table will be displayed on the hospital’s notice boards to enhance the facility’s adoption of the fall TIPS toolkit.

References

Bargmann, A. L., & Brundrett, S. M. (2020). Implementation of a multicomponent fall prevention program: Contracting with patients for fall safety. Military Medicine, 185(Supplement_2), 28–34. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usz411

Burnes, B. (2019). The origins of Lewin’s three-step model of change. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 56(1), 32–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886319892685

Lee, H., Hsieh, C., & Jerng, J. (2024). Incidence and factors associated with falls in older people in a long-term care facility: A prospective study in Taiwan. Healthcare, 12(10), 959. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12100959

Misaghian, K., Lugo, J. E., & Faubert, J. (2024). Immediate fall prevention: The missing key to a comprehensive solution for falling hazard in older adults. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2024.1348712

Shao, L., Shi, Y., Xie, X., Wang, Z., Wang, Z., & Zhang, J. (2023). Incidence and risk factors of falls among older people in nursing homes: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 24(11), 1708–1717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2023.06.002

Appendix A: Participant Recruitment

Implementing a Fall Prevention Tool for Fall Prevention in Nurse Care Facility

(Date)

Re: Implementing a Fall Prevention Tool for Fall Prevention in Nurse Care Facility

Dear: (Name)

I am writing to let you know about an opportunity to participate in a voluntary project on the implementation of a fall prevention program.

Levis Apana, a DNP student from Purdue University Global, is conducting this project.

Participation includes providing data on the level of adoption of the project by the residents.

All staff members are welcome to participate.

Thank you for your consideration, and once again. Reply below if interested.

Appendix B: Informed Consent

Implementing a Fall Prevention tool for Fall Prevention in Nurse care facility

I ……., agree to participate in the research project titled “Implementing a Fall Prevention Tool for Fall Prevention in Nurse Care Facility” conducted by (Name), who has discussed the research

project with me.

I have received, read, and kept a copy of the information statement and asked questions about the research and received satisfactory responses.

I consent to participate in the research project. The following have been explained to me:

• What am I expected and required to do
• The research may or may not be of direct benefit to me
• My participation is completely voluntary
• My right to withdraw from the study at any time without any implications to me
• The risks, including any possible inconvenience, discomfort or harm
• The consequence of my participation in the research project
• The steps taken to minimize any possible risks.
• Whom I should contact for any complaints about the research or the conduct of the research

Name                                                                                                                   : (please print)

Signature:

Date:

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

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Implementation

(How did you implement the project in the practice setting. Discuss implementation steps (not a bullet list, must be narrative) or a project management model used in the project. Include the specific project interventions that were implemented to achieve the project outcomes)

Project Cost (Justification, return on investment)

Instruments for Data Collection (discuss where the instruments originated; if you developed the instrument, explain the development process. Identify the purpose of any  instruments used)

Human Subject Protection and IRB Approval

(Narrative paragraph summarizing how project participants were protected, i.e. anonymity, privacy or confidentiality). Informed consent attached as an appendix.

Data Protection (Include the following information in a narrative format)

How did you collect and record project data?  Who administered a survey or questionnaire?  Where was the project information stored?  (See Data Security Policy recommendations in IRB site information). Did you collect personally identifiable data?-If you sent an online survey, were IP addresses collected?

How was the data stored and who had access? How long will the data be retained before being destroyed?

Data Analysis

(What were the project results and what does the data mean? Discuss in quantifiable terms)

Project Sustainability (Identify in detail how the project is sustainable)

Project Evaluation

Formative Evaluation (How did you evaluate project progress on an ongoing basis?)

Summative Evaluation (How did you determine if the project achieved the expected outcomes?

Dissemination of Information

Future Scholarship: What are your plans to disseminate project results? (Published article, podium and/or poster presentation, submission to Purdue Global Library Archive)

Appendices are mandatory and must be included at the end of the paper. When mentioned in the paper, put in parentheses (Appendix A), (Appendix B), etc…

Letter of facility approval

CITI training certificate

Informed consent

Education materials, agenda, handouts, if applicable

Participant recruitment email or flyer

All surveys and instruments for data collection.

Data charts (project results)

Algorithm, protocol, or policy developed for practice change

Final Project Evaluation approval form

Client’s Notes:

• The project titled Implementation of a Fall TIPS in a Nursing Care Facility. Thank you.
  • Project review period was June -August of 2024. 10 falls were recorded during this period and 8 of those were in the long tern care.
  • Project implementation occurs from Feb 24, 2025 to May 5 2025.
  • During this time, the total number of falls recorded in the long term care was 3 falls
  • This is more than 50% decrease in falls
• Please include the pre and post fall numbers in a chart or graph fomat and attached to paper.