Background Falls can present a significant cost to individuals, their loved ones and the healthcare system. People with dementia on inpatient wards are at increased risk of falls, making this an important patient safety issue. Aim The aim of the project was to reduce falls rate on an older adult mental health ward by 30% (from an average of 5.4 to 3.7 per 1000 occupied bed days) by September 2024. Methods Using quality improvement methodology, a multidisciplinary team tested interventions to enhance therapeutic engagement, strengthen supportive nursing observations, mitigate medication-related risks and improve the ward environment. Results The project surpassed its aim, reducing falls rate by 74% to 1.4 falls per 1000 occupied bed days. Conclusions This project demonstrated the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to falls reduction, as well as the value of employing Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology for rapid testing and learning.
Sorlie et al. (Wed,) studied this question.