Decreasing Patient Falls and Increasing Communication Through the Use of Patient Mobility Cards

Safe patient mobility and decreasing patient falls are top priorities for healthcare organizations across the country as the search continues for innovative methods to help improve patient outcomes. Registered nurses (RNs) from a 48-bed acute care orthopedic unit were faced with the challenge of improving communication regarding patient mobility. The group developed mobility cards to identify the level of assistance that patients require with ambulation. The project was implemented on the unit, and pre-implementation and post-implementation data was compared. Initial findings showed an improvement in communication and a decrease in patient falls.

Lipsett A, White E

Keywords: safe patient mobility, falls prevention