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Assessment 1: Conference Poster Presentation

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Student Name

Capella University

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Prof Name
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Nov 10, 2023
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Learning Theories and Diversity

Abstract
Healthcare professionals are dedicated to improving patient outcomes by prioritizing and
maintaining patient safety. Falls represent the primary cause of unintentional mortality among
individuals aged 65 and older in the United States, resulting in about 2.8 million elderly seeking
emergency room treatment annually (CDC, 2020). Various factors contribute to the increased

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risk of falls in the elderly, both within and outside hospital settings (LeLaurin & Shorr, 2019). In
hospitals, between 700,000 and 1 million patients experience falls annually, with an incidence
rate ranging from 3.5 to 9.5 falls per 1000 bed days (LeLaurin & Shorr, 2019). Galet et al. (2018)

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identified 633 individuals at the highest risk of falls, emphasizing the potential for a single fall to
prolong a patient's hospital stay.

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To address this issue, OhioHealth's informatics team developed the Schmid tool (Lee et al.,
2019) to identify high-risk individuals and implement preventive measures. This study evaluates
the Schmid tool's effectiveness in enhancing patient safety and overall healthcare outcomes

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using data in conjunction with informatics models.

Introduction
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Annually, approximately 2.8 million adults seek emergency department care for fall-related
injuries (LeLaurin & Shorr, 2019). Hospitalized patients face a significant risk of falling, with
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between 700,000 and 1 million falls occurring each year (LeLaurin & Shorr, 2019), contributing
to extended hospital stays and increased healthcare costs.
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The Schmid tool is utilized to identify patients at high risk of falls by considering factors such as
mobility, mental status, toileting abilities, history of falls, and medications. Evaluating the Schmid
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tool's effectiveness is essential to enhance patient safety and healthcare outcomes.

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Analyzing the Use of the Informatics Model

The Schmid fall risk scale categorizes a patient’s fall risk into four main categories: mobility,
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cognition, toileting abilities, and medication usage (Amundsen et al., 2020). Mobility includes
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four subcategories: mobile (0), mobile with assistance (1), unstable (1b), and immobile (0a).
Cognition is assessed as alert (0), occasionally confused (1a), always confused (1b), or
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unresponsive (0b). Toileting abilities are classified as completely independent (0a), independent
with frequency (1a), requiring assistance (1b), or incontinent (1c). Finally, medication usage is
categorized into various medications such as anticonvulsants (1a), psychotropics (1b),
tranquilizers (1c), hypnotics (1d), or none (0) (Amundsen et al., 2020).

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Literature Review
Despite a gradual decline, in-hospital falls remain a significant concern, leading to harm and
increased expenses. Since 2008, Medicare and Medicaid no longer cover fall-related injuries for
hospitalization reimbursement (LeLaurin & Shorr, 2019). Hospitals must take preventive
measures to reduce patient falls due to the substantial financial burden they impose.

Recent studies indicate an alarming trend of readmissions among older patients with traumatic
injuries, emphasizing the need for social support networks and fall prevention initiatives for the

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elderly (Galet et al., 2018). Falls are the primary cause of injury and mortality among individuals
aged 65 and older in the United States (CDC, 2020), emphasizing the importance of fall
prevention strategies.

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Conclusion

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This study's comprehensive approach demonstrates the potential to reduce hospital falls,
addressing the leading cause of death in the United States. By employing the informatics model

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in developing the Schmid tool for quality improvement, this study observed a significant
reduction in the incidence of falls.
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