Preventing Patient Falls—the Power of the Huddle

Haunted by the memory of a patient fall early in her nursing career, Leticia Figueroa, the manager of this unit in Southern California was determined to reducing similar incidents. Members of the unit-based team examined data on falls in their department and then turned their attention to prevention. After a series of tests of change, they realized their efforts were working. In one year, the team reduced patient falls by 40 percent.

Here's What Worked

• Posting calendar of patient falls in the department to increase visibility of the issue
• Huddling daily and including a safety briefing
• Educating patients about the precautions they can take when they need to get out of bed

What can your team do to focus on creating a culture of safety?