The Hustler Award Program

Problem: Hospitalized adults are at increased risk of falling due to multiple aspects, including but not limited to changes in health status, the environment, pain, weakness, confusion, and prolonged immobility. This project focused on the question: How will the utilization of the Hustler Award Program decrease fall rates in an adult inpatient medical-surgical unit? Method: A prospective quality improvement pilot study focused on a 24-bed medical-surgical unit in a Midwest, 487-bed metropolitan-based facility. Results: The results captured are for the evaluation period occurring from September through November 2021. The staff responded to 52-bed exit alarms, which yielded a response rate for September of 15.4% (n=8), October 73% (n=38), and November 11.6% (n=6). There were 14 falls from the bed, during the evaluation period, September (n=3; 21.4%), October (n=4; 28.6%) and November (n=7; 50%). There were ten falls from the bed before the evaluation period, June-August 2021. However, before the evaluation period, the number of falls resulting in injuries was one, and during the evaluation period, there were no fall-related injuries. The average number of monthly patient days prior to the program evaluation was 762. The average post-program evaluation was 780, resulting in approximately a four percent increase in patient days during the post- program evaluation compared to the pre-program evaluation period. Implications for Practice: Utilization of a fall program in conjunction with bed alarms could be beneficial in addressing falls, which can improve quality and performance while meeting the requirements for reimbursement by the Center for Medicaid and Medicare