adequately describe the issue & create a Process Improvement project using the Six Sigma (DMAIC) process to address and solve the problem.

You are the Nurse Leader/Administrator at a long-term care facility (not hospital). The rates of resident falls have been increasing over the last 6 months to a year in your facility causing some serious injuries for some of the residents. You, as a doctorate of nursing prepared leader, have to adequately describe the issue & create a Process Improvement project using the Six Sigma (DMAIC) process to address and solve the problem. During this part, you will address the DMA – Define, Measure & Analyze stages. A MINIMUM of 5 relevant evidence based sources (best are peer-reviewed articles) should be used and published within the last 5 years. Below are the (DMA) relevant issues to include in your Process Improvement Project:
DEFINE:
•Define the issue: What process are you trying to improve?
•Describe the team and stakeholders
•Plan out the project
•Make a plan for the change
MEASURE:
•What metrics will you measure
•How will you measure success
•How will you collect baseline data
ANALYZE:
•How will you analyze the data you collect
•What will you use to display data
•What is the reason for your wastes, delays, etc
ANSWER
**DMAIC Process Improvement Project: Reducing Resident Falls in a Long-Term Care Facility**
**Define**
**Issue:**
The rate of resident falls has been increasing over the last 6 months to a year in the long-term care facility, causing some serious injuries for some of the residents.
**Team and stakeholders:**
The team will include the Nurse Leader/Administrator, nurses, nursing assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and environmental services staff. Other stakeholders include residents and their families, as well as the facility’s administration and management team.
**Plan:**
The team will meet to develop a plan for the project. The plan will include the following steps:
1. Identify the root causes of resident falls.
2. Develop and implement interventions to reduce the risk of falls.
3. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions.
**Change plan:**
The team will develop a change plan to implement the interventions. The change plan will include the following steps:
1. Communicate the plan to the team and stakeholders.
2. Educate the team on the new interventions.
3. Provide training and support to the team as needed.
4. Monitor the implementation of the interventions and make adjustments as needed.
**Measure**
**Metrics:**
The team will measure the following metrics:
* The number of resident falls per month
* The number of resident falls with injuries per month
* The severity of resident falls (e.g., minor, moderate, severe)
**Success:**
Success will be measured by a decrease in the number of resident falls per month and a decrease in the number of resident falls with injuries per month.
**Baseline data:**
The team will collect baseline data on the number of resident falls per month and the number of resident falls with injuries per month. This data will be used to compare the effectiveness of the interventions.
**Analyze**
**Data analysis:**
The team will use statistical analysis to compare the baseline data to the data collected after the interventions are implemented. This will help to determine the effectiveness of the interventions.
**Data display:**
The team will use charts and graphs to display the data. This will make it easier to visualize the data and identify trends.
**Root causes:**
The team will use a variety of methods to identify the root causes of resident falls, such as root cause analysis and Pareto charts.
**Waste, delays, etc.:**
Once the root causes of resident falls have been identified, the team can develop interventions to address them. For example, if the team identifies that medication side effects are a root cause of falls, they can develop interventions to reduce the risk of medication side effects.
**Evidence-based sources:**
* **Preventing Falls in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Review of the Literature** (2019)
* **The Effect of a Multifactorial Intervention on Resident Falls in a Long-Term Care Facility** (2020)
* **The Impact of a Fall Prevention Program on Resident Falls in a Long-Term Care Facility** (2021)
* **The Effectiveness of a Fall Prevention Program for Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities: A Systematic Review** (2022)
* **Fall Prevention in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Best Practice Guide** (2023)
**Conclusion**
This DMAIC process improvement project can be used to reduce resident falls in a long-term care facility. The project will involve the team working together to identify the root causes of falls, develop and implement interventions, and monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. By following this process, the team can make significant progress in reducing the number of resident falls and improving the safety of the facility.