Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
Committee Chair
Lenora Smith
Committee Member
Christy Mnzava
Committee Member
Shihka Modi
Subject(s)
Hospital patients--Safety measures, Falls (Accidents)--Prevention, Medical protocols
Abstract
Background: Inpatient falls are a significant risk to patient safety in acute care settings. Local Problem: A 24-bed adult cardiac step-down unit with elevated fall rate lacked standardized fall risk protocols. Methods: Iterative Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were used to implement, evaluate, and refine a structured workflow over 12 weeks. Interventions: A protocol-guided fall prevention checklist was deployed, supported staff education, peer coaching and leadership audits. Results: Nursing protocol knowledge increased from 83% to 93.11%, checklist compliance averaged 90%, and these process improvements correlated with a 83.3% reduction in the overall unit fall rate. Conclusions: Standardizing care via a protocol-guided fall prevention checklist significantly increases nursing knowledge and protocol compliance while drastically reducing patient falls indicating its value for nursing care quality. Keywords: Checklist, Risk Management, Clinical Audit; Prevention; Nursing Care.
Recommended Citation
Harvey, La’Tricia Danielle, "Minimizing the incidence of falls on an adult inpatient cardiac step-down unit" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). 164.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-dnp/164