Introduction
The elderly are usually at a higher risk of falling at home and their respective nursing homes or clinics. These events are capable of causing both serious and non-fatal injuries. The affected individuals will have to be admitted in order to receive high-quality services. Both the affected institution and patient will have to incur additional medical expenses. These problems explain why all medical facilities and organizations should introduce powerful practices to minimize falls.
This proposal seeks to present a detailed description and plan for an effective fall prevention program at Zephyr Haven Nursing Home in South Florida. Five evidence-based interventions that have the potential to reduce falls in this institution will be presented.
Evidence-Based Interventions
Several strategies are needed if the number of falls in this organization is to reduce significantly and support the implementation of an evidence-based program. The first one is the elimination of barriers and design systems that hinder movement or ambulation. The presence of inappropriate structures is one of the reasons why falls are usually common in many hospitals. The second strategy is introducing new approaches and opportunities for exercising in the selected nursing home.
Baixinho, Dixe, and Henriques (2017) indicate that individuals who are active or walk frequently will have reduced chances of falling or getting serious injuries. The third one is providing additional resources to the elderly, such as glasses and hearing aids. The purpose of these additional items or devices is to improve the level of communication and visual abilities of the targeted elderly citizens. The fourth initiative is introducing quality bed alarms to make it easier for caregivers to identify and help elderly individuals (Datta, Datta, & Elkins, 2019).
The final one is for clinicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and nurse aides to take rounds frequently in an attempt to identify those who are at risk, offer timely support, and remove obstacles when necessary. These measures are capable of improving the situation in the selected nursing home and making it possible for the greatest number of individuals to achieve their health goals.
Required Training
The suggested fall prevention program in this institution requires additional training if it is to deliver positive results and make it possible for more individuals to achieve their health aims. Firstly, all elderly people will receive timely instructions regarding the importance of the initiative, how to move safely from point A to B, and the best strategies to help one another. Secondly, clinicians and NPs will go through a short training session focusing on the effective use of alert systems and bed alarms (Baixinho et al., 2017).
They will also be informed about the importance of guiding and interacting with different workers to ensure that the level of opposition to the targeted change remains low (Jackson, 2016). Thirdly, beneficiaries will be informed about the best way to use such alarms, read signs, and walk comfortably depending on the selected surface. The purpose of these instructions is to empower all stakeholders and ensure that they are willing to support the introduction and implementation of this new program.
Items Needed
The successful implementation of the proposed program depends on the availability of different items or materials. In the beginning, there is a need to present appropriate alarm systems that both elderly citizens and practitioners can use efficiently. Signs will be introduced to inform more people about the most appropriate practices and improve awareness. The institution will be required to purchase comfortable shoes for all elderly citizens (Jackson, 2016). Warning systems and handheld devices will be essential to improve communication when falls occur. There is also a need for this facility to print flyers or cards outlining guidelines for reducing falls and identifying potential risk factors. The final outcome is that the program will run smoothly and support the needs of the greatest number of elderly citizens.
Estimated Cost for Program Implementation
The proposed program requires adequate and sustainable funds if it is to be executed successfully. The cost needs to be affordable and sustainable for the selected nursing facility. The budget presented below will ensure that the institution records positive results.
Marketing Plan and Outcome
The proposed program is appropriate for Zephyr Haven Nursing Home since it will reduce the costs associated with hospitalization and drugs. The idea is affordable, easy to implement, and capable of attracting minimum rejection or opposition from different individuals. The training procedures are simple and available to both elderly patients and caregivers (Uymaz & Nahcivan, 2016). In terms of implementation, the facility will introduce the suggested alarm systems and redesign pavements without disorienting the current operations. The program will also not require additional staff members to emerge successfully and deliver positive results (Ali & Li, 2015).
These attributes explain why there is a need for this organization’s leaders to consider the effectiveness and affordability of the proposed fall prevention program. The best approach is to introduce a superior change process that is informed by a powerful theory or framework. This practice or approach is essential since it will minimize the level of objection and make it possible for all participants and stakeholders to support it.
The final goal is that the identified nursing facility will record positive health outcomes by ensuring that such sentinel events reduce significantly. The number of elderly patients leading high-quality lives will increase in this facility. All the workers in this nursing home will become more empowered and willing to meet the changing needs of their respective patients or elderly citizens (Uymaz & Nahcivan, 2016). The institution will eventually become a leading provider of timely and high-quality care to more beneficiaries in South Florida. This achievement will eventually trigger or become a powerful model for introducing superior programs that can reduce most of the sentinel events affecting many people.
Conclusion
Zephyr Haven Nursing Home is one of the leading institutions known for providing high-quality care to different individuals in need of various services. The issue of falls is currently making it impossible for clinicians and patients to achieve their potential. This proposal has described why the introduction and implementation of a superior fall prevention program will address this predicament and transform the current situation.
The presented cost for this initiative is manageable and affordable. It will be easy to present and win the support of different stakeholders in the institution, including elderly patients, caregivers, and clinicians. Since the potential outcomes are convincing, there is a need for the managers of this facility to evaluate and implement this proposed fall prevention program.
References
Ali, H. B., & Li, H. (2015). Developing a fall-prevention system for nursing homes. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 59(1), 601-605. Web.
Baixinho, C. R., Dixe, M. A., & Henriques, M. A. P. (2017). Falls in long-term care institutions for elderly people: Protocol validation. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagen, 70(4), 740-746. Web.
Datta, A., Datta, R., & Elkins, J. (2019). What factors predict falls in older adults living in nursing homes: A pilot study. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 4(1), 3-10. Web.
Jackson, K. M. (2016). Improving nursing home falls management program by enhancing standard of care with collaborative care multi-interventional protocol focused on fall prevention. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 6(6), 84-96. Web.
Uymaz, P. E., & Nahcivan, N. O. (2016). Evaluation of a nurse-led fall prevention education program in Turkish nursing home residents. Educational Gerontology, 42(5), 299-309. Web.