Improving the assessment and documentation of patient mobility using a quality improvement framework

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Quality Improvement Science
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Effective patient mobility assessment is crucial in geriatric care.
• Current documentation practices may be inconsistent, impacting care quality.
• Standardized tools can improve the assessment and tracking of patient mobility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a system for assessing and documenting patient mobility.
• To utilize a quality improvement framework within an inpatient geriatric unit.
• To measure the impact of the system on documentation compliance, nursing burden, and patient falls.

Main Methods:

• A Johns Hopkins Highest Level of Mobility scale was integrated into door-placed whiteboards.
• Staff received training on the new mobility assessment and documentation procedures.
• Documentation compliance, nurse-perceived burden, and patient fall rates were measured.

Main Results:

• Median daily documentation compliance reached 79% by the project's conclusion.
• Nurses reported a low perceived burden associated with the new system.
• Patient fall rates showed no statistically significant increase compared to baseline data.

Conclusions:

• A quality improvement framework can successfully enhance mobility assessment and documentation in geriatric units.
• The implemented system improved documentation without negatively impacting patient safety (fall rates).
• The system demonstrated a low perceived burden on nursing staff, suggesting feasibility for wider adoption.