Using the 4Ms Framework to Prevent Falls

Author

Gina L. Edgeworth, University of Texas at ArlingtonFollow

Graduation Semester and Year

Spring 2024

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Dr. Kirsten Drake

Abstract

Abstract

Hospital falls are rising in inpatient facilities, requiring analysis and a plan of action to address the ongoing falls. A strategy taken among facilities is implementing a 4Ms Framework that allows the nurse to address what matters to the patient and assess their mentation, medications, and mobility upon admission. With an increase in falls on a med-surg unit, it was found that there was no straightforward process for addressing the needs and concerns of patients and no assessment of medications, mobility, or mentation for those aged 65 years and older. This knowledge gap prevents nurses from providing a structured framework that allows for these specific things to be discussed with the patient upon admission. This Quality Improvement project was reviewed and exempted by the facilities’ Institutional Review Board (IRB). Using descriptive statistics with SPSS and Excel, after implementing the 4Ms framework, a chart review found no change in falls on the unit during an eight-week timeframe compared to the same time frame the previous year. However, limitations to the implementation of this project included that out of 80 audits, only 36% of audits addressed all 4Ms framework. It is unknown why there may have been a lack of documentation by nursing staff. This could have directly affected results, including a possible decrease in falls. If this framework had received full participation from staff, the fall rate might have decreased as compared to the previous year and time frame using the framework. It was found that the two patients who fell did not have the 4Ms documented, and those who did document the 4Ms framework did not have a fall incur.

Keywords

Falls, 4Ms Framework, Inpatient unit, Med-Surg, Hospital, Assessments, What Matters

Disciplines

Critical Care Nursing | Family Practice Nursing | Geriatric Nursing | Nursing Administration | Nursing Midwifery | Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing | Palliative Nursing | Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Edgeworth, Gina L., "Using the 4Ms Framework to Prevent Falls" (2024). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects. 3.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/nursing_dnpprojects/3