Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

Fall 12-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

December 2025

College Granting Degree

Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Debra Hain

Abstract

Falls among older adults remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in underserved populations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) toolkit to help providers systematically identify and address fall risks. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to implement and evaluate integration of the CDC STEADI toolkit within primary care at Palm Beach Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Greenacres. The aim was to train the interprofessional leadership team to use the STEADI program to enhance knowledge, confidence, screening, and implementation of fall reduction strategies to promote practice change. This was a quality improvement project conducted with 12 interprofessional PACE leaders. Pre- and post-intervention surveys measured changes in knowledge, confidence, and fall prevention practices. Fall prevention screenings and reported falls were documented over a three-month period. Results included successful Leadership training, positive knowledge gain and effective learning among participants using he STEADI toolkit and a stable fall frequency. Leadership elected to maintain current use Tinetti fall model as the primary framework and incorporated selected STEADI components to support and strengthen current practices. The implications for practice include adapting evidence-based fall prevention programs within existing systems that enhance fall risk management in community-dwelling older adults. Combining two tools, Tinetti and STEADI models, could optimize risk outcomes, promote safety, and guide future practice and research in fall prevention among older adults. This supports Healthy People 2030 objectives IVP-06 and IVP-08 focused on reducing fall-related deaths and reduce emergency department visits due to fall (ODPHP, 2023).

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