TY - JOUR
PY - 2022//
TI - The stoplight mobility alert system for safety and prevention of falls in children with physical and cognitive impairments
JO - Journal of patient safety
A1 - Mullen, Joellan B.
A1 - Wirt, Steven Z.
A1 - Moser, Alana
A1 - Niedzwecki, Christian
SP - ePub
EP - ePub
VL - ePub
IS - ePub
N2 - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to decrease the rate of falls in children with cognitive and physical impairments on a pediatric acute inpatient rehabilitation unit (IRU) using a novel tool, the Stoplight Mobility Alert System (SMAS).
METHODS: We conducted a pilot, prospective, quality improvement study in an 8-bed (increased to 12 beds; October 1, 2019) acute inpatient pediatric IRU at a level 1 trauma center. All patients admitted between October 1, 2012, and October 1, 2020, were included as participants. Interventions used were as follows: (1) SMAS, a colored alert system placed on door slides and in-room for visual cues (red, assistance/hands on; yellow, supervision/eyes on; green, independent/hands off), and (2) handouts and one-on-one education for staff and patients/families. Main outcome measures included fall rate on the IRU.
RESULTS: Using the SMAS, the total fall rate decreased from 10.78 to 4.36 falls per 1000 patient-days. Longitudinally, the intrinsic fall rate decreased from 8.36 to 5.60 falls per 1000 patient-days, and the extrinsic fall rate decreased from 4.56 to 1.36 falls per 1000 patient-days.
CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of the SMAS is effective in decreasing total, intrinsic, and extrinsic fall rates in an acute pediatric inpatient rehabilitation program both acutely and longitudinally.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 1549-8417 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PTS.0000000000001026 ID - ref1 ER -