ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to decrease the rate of falls in children with cognitive and physical impairments on a pediatric acute inpatient rehabilitation unit (IRU) using a novel tool, the Stoplight Mobility Alert System (SMAS). METHODS: We conducted a pilot, prospective, quality improvement study in an 8-bed (increased to 12 beds; October 1, 2019) acute inpatient pediatric IRU at a level 1 trauma center. All patients admitted between October 1, 2012, and October 1, 2020, were included as participants. Interventions used were as follows: (1) SMAS, a colored alert system placed on door slides and in-room for visual cues (red, assistance/hands on; yellow, supervision/eyes on; green, independent/hands off), and (2) handouts and one-on-one education for staff and patients/families. Main outcome measures included fall rate on the IRU. RESULTS: Using the SMAS, the total fall rate decreased from 10.78 to 4.36 falls per 1000 patient-days. Longitudinally, the intrinsic fall rate decreased from 8.36 to 5.60 falls per 1000 patient-days, and the extrinsic fall rate decreased from 4.56 to 1.36 falls per 1000 patient-days. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of the SMAS is effective in decreasing total, intrinsic, and extrinsic fall rates in an acute pediatric inpatient rehabilitation program both acutely and longitudinally.
