The impact of charge nurse transformational leadership workshops in reducing patient falls

Abstract

<p>Hospitals are challenged with decreasing patient falls and falls with injuries. This can result in a financial penalty set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). There is a greater financial impact for hospitals classified as a safety-net organization with a higher payor mix of Medicare and Medicaid. Charge nurses are important in reducing patient falls and are responsible for endorsing an environment of accountability. A leadership workshop improves knowledge, develops leaders, and changes a unit and organizations culture.</p> <p>Fall rates between 3.87 falls to 13.70 falls per one-thousand patient days were initially noted on one unit. Four charge nurses were recruited to participate in two workshop sessions that utilized a transformational leadership framework. Fall data was monitored for a 30-day period with no occurrence of falls as evidence by risk reporting, fall trending reports, and internal nursing scorecard results that use CMS benchmarks.</p>