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Intervene with a nursing toolkit to reduce patient falls

HCPro's Advisor to the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®, March 31, 2009

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I asked physicians and nurses why they had historically used sitters. I found that 80% of the time, sitters were ordered because patients were at risk for falls or line pulling, whereas 20% of the time, they were ordered because patients were in alcohol withdrawal or at risk for suicide. Other feedback I received regarding the ordering of sitters was: “The family wants them,” or “We’ve always used them,” but there wasn’t any real methodology behind the process.

I also noticed that sitters were ordered and weren’t told what to do, or were never told to go home, allowing them to stay on the unit for days. That was an expense the hospital was absorbing, because there is no reimbursement for sitters.

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