DATE: July 5, 2015

TO: Linda Scultz, Director of Nursing of Orthopedics and Neurosciences Blodgett Hospital
FROM: Kassie Herp, Nursing student
SUBJECT: fall injury report requested
I have attached a recommendation report on fall injury for patients and staff. This report shows
that there is a need for better staff education to prevent falls and injuries to patients and staff. A
recommendation for addressing this problem is included. I look forward to your evaluation and
suggestions concerning this report. Feel free to contact me on my phone at 6163259116 or my
email at kassieherp@gmail.com.

Patient fall and staff injury at Blodgett Hospital: A Recommendation Report

Submitted to Linda Schultz Director of Nursing Orthopedics and Neurosciences East Grand
Rapids, MI
July 5, 2015
Submitted by Kassie Herp, Student Nurse

Abstract
The purpose of this report is to bring to light information about injury to both patients and staff
members when transferring the patient. The information described in this report was gathered
from nursing reports and staff interviews. Based on the information there is a problem with how
many falls that occur on a weekly and monthly basis on the units as Blodgett Hospital. The goal
of this report is to provide evidence to show a need for a new policy to correct the issue. In
conclusion you will see that annual education for nurses and staff is recommended to prevent
injury to the patient and staff.

Introduction
This report is going to be focused on a recommendation for reducing falls and protect
both the patient and the staff from getting injured while transferring. Evidence has been gathered
to show that there is a problem that needs to be corrected. After discussing the evidence, there
will be a discussion on ways to improve upon the problem and a specific solution to the problem
Evidence
Evidence at Blodgett Hospital was found by conducting a self-survey. Every unit of the
hospital has a board on information in their conference room that states when the last fall
occurred and how it happened. When doing my survey, I found that majority of the units had
falls that occurred within last 20 days if not less. I think that this evidence shows great concern
because that is once every month if not more than once a month that these incidents are taking
place. I also talked to Val Tumbleson, Nurse Manager of 3H Neuro and spine and she stated that
her unit, 3E-orthopedics, 3G-center for joint replacements, and 4a/b-acute center for rehab have
the highest falls of all the units in the hospital, because of their scope of practice (personal
communication, June 22, 2015).
The problem also relates to the rate of injury patients and staff receive when transferring.
From personal experience, in my job as a patient transporter, I have not personally seen a major
injury for patients, however, I do see things such as the patients feet getting bumped on the end
of the bed during pull overs. It is also imperative that we cause a little pain as possible to the
patients when ambulating. I have also seen many nurses handle the patients a little roughly when
trying to assist them out of bed. I have personally experienced an injury while transferring a
patient where I sprained my tendon in my wrist, by not using proper body mechanics when
pulling the patient over on to my stretcher. As well as a fellow colleague that had injured her
wrist as well during a pull over.
According to OSHA, did you know that a hospital is one of the most hazardous places to
work? On average, U.S. hospitals recorded 6.8 work-related injuries and illnesses for every 100
full-time employees in 2011. That is almost twice the rate for private industry as a whole
(OSHA, 2011). This statistic alone shows that nationally hospitals report the most work related
injury. This alone contributes to the evidence that there is a problem with work related injuries
and that something needs to be done about it.
Discussion
Between the personal evidence obtained and the evidence supported by sources. There is
a need for a solution to this problem. After talking with Val Tumbleson and Kristin Nesbit,
registered Nurse in the emergency room, there is a discrepancy in the way they are taught to
provide safety to themselves and the patient when transferring the patients. With this discrepancy
in mind, you start to think about ways it could be improved upon. Val Tumbleson stated that her
employees orientate their first couple of days with physical therapy to ensure that they are taught
the proper body mechanics for themselves and how to safely move the patient trying to avoid
them any harm or pain (personal communication, June 22, 2015). She also stated that majority of
her falls on her unit are not due to staff error with transferring, but that the patient is confused

and tries to get up without help (personal communication, June 22, 2015). The bed alarm goes
off, but even if the staff runs sometimes they get to the room too late and they have to assist the
patient to the ground which is considered a fall (personal communication, June 22, 2015).
Recommendation
With this evidence in mind I recommend that there be some kind of annual education put
in place for all nursing staff to attend where they will work alongside physical therapy and learn
about proper ways to ambulate patients that protects the staff and the patient. William
VanderZouwen is the Patient Transport Educator and they have been using a procedure similar to
this for the past couple of years in their department (personal communication, June 25, 2015). He
stated that they have seen a decline in staff injuries as well as falls with the patients when
transferring them (personal communication, June 25, 2015). During this annual education day,
the staff go around to stations that have been set up by physical therapy. At each station, the
physical therapist demonstrates the proper ways to transfer the patient while protecting
themselves and the patient. After the demonstration the staff member demonstrates what they
have learned and receives feedback from the physical therapist on ways to improve. The staff
member then has to be checked off before they can move on to the next station.
With all of this in mind, I think that a similar procedure that is implemented for the
nursing staff would help to decrease injuries for all and only improve upon the safety for the
patient. Overall, I think your staff satisfaction and safety will improve and the hospital will save
money with less work related injury.

References
OSHA. Worker Safety in Your Hospital. United States Department Of Labor (2011).
https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hospitals/documents/1.1_Data_highlights_508.pdf Retrieved July 10,
2015.
Tumbleson, V. (2015, June 22). [Personal interview].
VanderZouwen, W. (2015, June 25). [Personal interview].