CSI Summary
Available only to registered AACN.org users.
Project Topic
Christa O’Neil, BSN, RN
Elizabeth Pearson, BSN, RN
Improving patient safety through hourly rounds
Hospital UnitsNeuro Telemetry and Neuro Surgery
CSI Participants
Sophia Chin, BSN, RNChrista O’Neil, BSN, RN
Elizabeth Pearson, BSN, RN
Project Goals/Objectives
- To decrease patient falls 50 percent
- To increase patient satisfaction HCAHPS scores 30 percent
- To decrease call light usage 50 percent
Project Outcomes
- Decreased falls 40 percent
- These outcomes resulted in an estimated annual fiscal impact of $289,360
Project Overview
For a long while, both of our units have experienced increased patient fall rates and call light usage. We were frustrated and sad that our lack of teamwork and structured protocol with handoff contributed to patient dissatisfaction. We decided to tackle bedside shift handoff and hourly rounding to improve the overall patient safety experience.
After doing some research and gathering and reviewing data, we decided to establish safety champions to help implement skills validations for all staff. We re-educated staff on the elements and expectations of a thorough handoff and hourly round. After six months, we were happy to see fewer patient falls. We also improved relationships between day- and night-shift staff.
Permission to Reuse Materials
The materials associated with this AACN Clinical Scene Investigator (CSI) Academy project are the property of the participating hospital noted above, not AACN. Requests to use content contained in the CSI team’s summary, presentation or toolkit should be directed to the hospital. We suggest reaching out to the hospital’s Communications, Marketing or Nursing Education department for assistance.
Disclaimer
The AACN CSI Academy program supports change projects based on quality improvement methods. Although CSI teams seek to ensure linkage between their project and clinical/fiscal outcomes, data cannot be solely attributed to the project and are estimations of impact.