Restraint Use and Preventing Patient Falls
Premier Date:
Thursday, June 23, 2011 - LIVE
Additional Airdates
(all times Eastern)
Fri, Jul 1, 2011: 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Tue, Jul 26, 2011: 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Wed, Aug 3, 2011: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Thu, Aug 18, 2011: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Joint Commission Resources Quality and Safety Network
Program Description
Organizations strive to reduce the use of restraints to the lowest possible level while also reducing injuries related to falls. At the patient level, an effective fall prevention program begins with a robust process for assessing the patient’s risk of falling and the patient’s risk of injury. At a minimum, assessment needs to occur on admission, following a change in the patient’s condition, after a fall, and when the patient is transferred. If it is determined that the patient is at risk for falling, then regular assessment must continue.
Once the patient is determined to be at risk of falling or injury, it becomes a priority to communicate this risk to all staff, the patient, and the patient’s family. This is accomplished through the medical record, hand-off communications, signage (door, wall, wristband), and other modalities that continue to alert staff to the patient’s risk. Patient-level interventions to prevent falls and injuries include medication adjustment, environmental adjustment, alarm devices, calcium and vitamin D, exercise interventions, toileting regimens, and treatment of other underlying disorders.
Obvious organizational-level activities include creating safe environments (in general and specific to patients) and educating all staff about falls and injury prevention. A secondary, but critical, organizational activity related to falls prevention is measurement and improvement. Honest, transparent reporting of falls must be encouraged to analyze conditions associated with falls, identify patterns of risk, and develop improved care processes.
This video conference focuses on these important issues surrounding fall prevention and restraint use, with an emphasis on how these areas are evaluated during Joint Commission surveys.
Target Audience
This activity is relevant to all organization staff, medical staff, volunteers, and contract staff, particularly those responsible for life safety-related activities, including safety officers and committees, department managers and supervisors, performance improvement staff, training and education staff, and risk managers.
Objectives
After completing this activity, the participant should be able to:
- Identify Joint Commission requirements that relate to patient falls and restraint use.
- Identify how The Joint Commission evaluates a hospital’s approach to fall prevention and restraint use during surveys.
- Discuss ways to educate and communicate with staff, patients, and families about falls
Presenters
Burt Thelander, P.M.H.C.N.S-B.C, N.E-B.C.
Field Representative
The Joint Commission
Associate Director
Lincoln Hospital, New York, New York
Mr. Thelander is an employee of The Joint Commission.
Jacquelyn W. Duplantis, R.N., MSN
Surveyor
The Joint Commission
Ms. Duplantis is an employee of The Joint Commission.
Accreditation Information
Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
The Joint Commission Resources is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Joint Commission Resources designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation
Joint Commission Resources is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. Joint Commission Resources designates this continuing nursing education activity for 1 contact hour. Accreditation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation refers to recognition of educational activities and does not imply approval or endorsement of any product.
National Association for Healthcare Quality
This activity has been approved by the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) for 1.0 Certified Professional Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) CE credits.
American College of Healthcare Executives
Joint Commission Resources is authorized to award 1 hour of pre-approved Category II (non-ACHE) continuing education credit for this program toward advancement, or recertification in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Participants in this program wishing to have the continuing education hours applied toward Category II credit should list their attendance when applying for advancement or recertification in ACHE.
Full attendance at every session is a prerequisite for receiving full continuing education credits. If a participant needs to leave early, their continuing education credits will need to be reduced.
Successful completion of this CE activity includes the following:
- View the presentation and read the accompanying Resource Guide.
- Complete the online Evaluation Form and Post Test.
- A CE certificate/statement of credit can be printed online following successful completion of the Post Test and the Evaluation Form.
Available via Satellite and Online!
To learn more, please contact Customer Service at support@jcrqsn.com or call 1-888-219-4678.
Program Materials
Additional Information
Technical Support
Now Available
The JCRQSN program is a monthly series of video conference training sessions produced by
Joint Commission Resources (JCR) in partnership with The Wellness Network. The Wellness Network is
the distributor of the series and has no influence on the content.
To learn more, please contact Customer Service at info@jcrqsn.com or call 1-888-219-4678.
We Want to Hear from You! Join our discussion on Facebook! Go to our Facebook page and click on "Discussions." This month's discussion question (Note: The following scenario is fictional) :
"A 60-year old female inpatient, Mrs. Smith, has just been transported in her bed to a waiting room prior to a test. She has experienced a stroke with left side weakness and mild aphasia. Mrs. Smith asks for a drink of water and a nurse provides it for her. The nurse tells Mrs. Smith that if she needs more water to call her. The nurse leaves to assist another patient. Wanting more water, Mrs. Smith sees a nearby pitcher. Reaching for it, the side rail of her bed gives away and she falls to the floor, exacerbating her condition.
What went wrong? What would you have done differently?"
