Prevention and education to decrease patient falls due to syncope.
This article describes a fall reduction program implemented by the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation in its 50+ clinic sites and departments located across 5 counties in Southern Wisconsin. The fall reduction program specifically targeted falls due to faints in the clinic setting. To reduce the organization's main reason for patient falls, guidelines were developed and mandatory education was given to staff working in high-risk areas.
Peterson
Ronnie
R
University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation, Madison, WI, USA. VPeterson@msn.herzing.edu
Berns
Susan
S
D000056:Accident Prevention; D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D003681:Dehydration / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005215:Fasting; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009096:Multi-Institutional Systems / Q000458:organization & administration; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015397:Program Evaluation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013575:Syncope / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology