Fall Prevention in Hospitals Training Program

AHRQ developed the Fall Prevention in Hospitals Training Program to support the training of hospital staff on how to implement AHRQ’s Preventing Falls in Hospitals Toolkit. The content of the Training Program and supporting materials help hospitals become familiar with each of the components of the Toolkit and learn how to overcome the challenges associated with developing, implementing, and sustaining a fall prevention program.

This content was developed from an AHRQ project that ran from 2014 to 2017. It is based on AHRQ’s Fall Prevention Toolkit and the experiences of 10 hospitals that participated in a 2-year pilot project of the Training Program. Hospitals participating in this pilot implementation of the Training Program and Toolkit reduced their fall and fall with injury rates and sustained these reductions for a year (the period of time over which hospitals were followed as part of this project).

The Training Program consists of a five-module, in-person training curriculum and a series of companion Webinars on specific topics related to fall prevention. An Implementation Guide provides additional suggestions for how to use the Training Program and the Toolkit.

Implementation Guide

The Implementation Guide (MS Word, 1.7 MB) offers strategies and resources to assist hospital team leaders, practice facilitators, and quality improvement specialists interested in using AHRQ’s Fall Prevention in Hospitals Training Program and the associated Fall Prevention Toolkit to guide systematic quality improvement efforts related to fall prevention in hospital settings. It includes:

A readiness assessment tool to help hospitals determine if they are ready to implement the change activities outlined in the Training Program and Toolkit.
A Roadmap for how to roll out the Training Program modules and companion Webinars in a systematic quality improvement effort focused on reducing falls and falls with injury.
A collection of additional resources that can be used to support implementation of the Training Program.
Examples of how hospitals have addressed common challenges encountered when doing quality improvement activities.

Curriculum Content

The training sessions are organized into five modules. Hospital implementation teams should access the modules in sequential order, view the recommended Webinars and supplemental resources, and complete the processes and tools outlined in the companion Implementation Guide.

Module 1: Understanding Why Change is Needed

Instructor Training Guide:
- View Module 1 Training Guide (HTML).
- Download Module 1 Training Guide (MS Word, 2.88 MB).
PowerPoint Slides:
- View Module 1 Slides (HTML).
- Download Module 1 Slides (PPT, 3.6 MB).
Additional Materials
- Download Module 1 Tools—This tool should be completed in advance of training sessions (MS Word, 239 KB).
- Sustainment —AHRQ Fall Prevention Program Implementation Sharing Webinar.

Module 2: How To Manage Change

Instructor Training Guide
- View Module 2 Training Guide (HTML)
- Download Module 2 Training Guide (MS Word, 2.4 MB)
PowerPoint Slides
- View Module 2 Slides (HTML)
- Download Module 2 Slides (PPT, 2.14 MB)
Additional Materials
- Download Module 2 Tools—These tools should be completed in advance of training sessions (MS Word, 199 KB)

Module 3: Best Practices in Fall Prevention

Instructor Training Guide
- View Module 3 Training Guide (HTML)
- Download Module 3 Training Guide (MS Word, 4.26 MB)
PowerPoint Slides
- View Module 3 Slides (HTML)
- Download Module 3 Slides (PPT, 3.7 MB)
Additional Materials
- Download Module 3 Tools (MS Word, 268 KB)
- Post-Fall Huddles: Reducing Preventable Falls and Fall-Related Injuries —AHRQ Fall Prevention Program Implementation Sharing Webinar
- Patient-Centered Fall Prevention Care Planning —AHRQ Fall Prevention Program Implementation Sharing Webinar

Module 4: How To Implement the Fall Prevention Program in Your Organization

Instructor Training Guide
- View Module 4 Training Guide (HTML)
- Download Module 4 Training Guide (MS Word, 3.13 MB)
PowerPoint Slides
- View Module 4 Slides (HTML)
- Download Module 4 Slides (PPT, 3.1 MB)
Additional Materials
- Download Module 4 Tools (MS Word, 186 KB)

Module 5: How To Measure Fall Rates and Fall Prevention Practices

Instructor Training Guide
- View Module 5 Training Guide (HTML)
- Download Module 5 Training Guide (MS Word, 4.18 MB)
PowerPoint Slides
- View Module 5 Slides (HTML)
- Download Module 5 Slides (PPT, 3.63 MB)
Additional Materials
- Download Module 5 Tools (MS Word, 192 KB)
Creating Control Charts To Interpret Fall Data —AHRQ Fall Prevention Program Implementation Sharing Webinar
Measurement: Using Data To Tell a Story —AHRQ Fall Prevention Program Implementation Sharing Webinar

Webinar Content

Page last reviewed September 2017
Page originally created September 2017

Internet Citation: Fall Prevention in Hospitals Training Program. Content last reviewed September 2017. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/hospital/fallpxtraining/index.html