胸腔科病房住院病患以中老年人居多，中老年人隨著年齡增加感覺敏銳度也隨著降低，肌肉纖維疏鬆導致肌肉度及功能降低，當病患臥床太久，肌肉度及功能會隨著住院日數的增加而降低，因此當病患下床會增國跌倒發生的機率。中部某醫學中心胸腔科病房於2002年6月至11月，跌倒佔意外事件之首，共5件，醫療成本新台幣68,890元。經由本改善專案，增加病患下肢肌力、少病患夜間如、加病患及家屬與跌倒相關的衛教、加強護理人員有關跌倒之在職教育等策略，使2002年12月至2003年5月，跌倒意外事件降2件，醫療成本少新台幣68,490元。不但少病患的傷害，節省醫療成本，也增進護理人員對預防跌倒的認知，加本病房團隊精神，提升護理照護品質。
Most patients on a chest ward are elderly. As people age, both their awareness of environmental hazards and muscle strength are reduced. Also, the longer the hospital stay, the greater the possibility of falling from the bed, due mostly to weakening of the muscles and loss of functionality. Between June 2001 and Nov. 2001, five incidents of falling from a bed were reported in a chest ward in a medial center in central Taiwan. These accidents cost the hospital $NT 68890. In an attempt to reduce the number of falls on this ward, we started an improvement program that included building lower leg muscle strength, decreasing the number of trips to the toilet, and reeducating medical staff and other caregivers. Between Dec. 2002 and May 2003, the number of falls were reduced to two and medical costs incurred by such falls were reduced by $NT68,490. This program, which reduced injuries and saved medical costs, is a testament to how healthcare can be enhanced when caregivers and medical staff participate in such prevention programs and work together as a team to achieve a single goal.
