ICU celebrates 386 days without a patient fall

At Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, the interdisciplinary Falls Committee continues to work hard to identify key factors and tools in fall prevention. Interventions championed by the committee, such as purposeful rounding, orange non-slip socks, laminated fall TIPS posters and fall free calendars, have proven to be effective in reducing the number of patient falls in both inpatient and outpatient settings. One area where this work has proven to be particularly effective is the ICU where the staff recently celebrated their 386th consecutive day without a patient fall, a new record for the unit!

At the same time, the unit also celebrated 60 days without an ICU/ED transfer, 1,600 CLABSI-free days and 314 CAUTI-free days.

CLABSI stands for central line associated bloodstream infection. At BWFH, the overall CLABSI rates are low as BWFH has adopted several strategies to reduce CLABSI. These strategies include using a central line insertion checklist, documenting on intravenous sites every four hours and evaluating the need for the line on a daily basis.

CAUTI stands for catheter associated urinary tract infection. A number of different strategies can reduce the risk of CAUTI and BWFH has adopted several of these strategies over the past several years in an effort to reduce CAUTIs. These strategies include ensuring that catheters are used only when needed and removed as soon as possible, that catheters are placed using proper aseptic technique and that the closed sterile drainage system is maintained.

“We are committed to providing safe, competent nursing care to our patients,” says ICU Clinical Leader Ellen McCarthy, MSN, RN, CCRN. “I am so proud of the staff for achieving this goal. Our recent celebration (with cake!) was well deserved.”