The Morse Fall Risk Tool is a standardized assessment used across Houston Methodist to help identify patients at increased risk for falls and guide timely, evidence‑based prevention strategies. While the tool provides the framework, its success depends on how consistently it is applied at the bedside.

Across many units, PCAs are often the first to notice changes in patient mobility, alertness or overall safety awareness. We spoke with Marjorie Bernard, PCA on medical‑surgical inpatient unit Main 8, Magnet Champion, and Chair of the Patient Experience Council, to gain her perspective on how PCAs support the rollout of the Morse Fall Risk Tool at the unit level.

Marjorie shared that PCAs on the unit have strengthened their expertise by learning how to apply the tool accurately, recognize fall‑risk behaviors and consistently implement safety measures such as bed and chair alarms, non‑skid footwear, floor mats and telesitter support. “This growth really happens on the unit,” Bernard explained. “It comes from hands‑on experience, repetition and holding one another accountable every shift.”

Fall‑prevention work also requires resilience. PCAs frequently manage patient frustration with added safety precautions while balancing multiple priorities on a busy unit. Marjorie noted that through steady presence, calm reassurance and clear communication, PCAs persist in maintaining safety — even when it is challenging — without losing sight of patient dignity and comfort.

Integrity is evident in the way PCAs uphold standards each shift. From active participation in huddles to purposeful rounding and prompt responses to alarms, PCAs take responsibility for accurate communication and follow‑through. “It’s not enough to document fall risk,” Bernard shared. “We make sure those plans are carried out consistently for every patient.”

At the unit level, fall prevention succeeds through teamwork. PCAs work side‑by‑side with nurses, charge nurses, educators and safety councils to hardwire safe practices into daily routines. By modeling purposeful rounding using the 5 Ps and reinforcing call light education, PCAs help align the entire care team toward the shared goal of zero falls — unit by unit, shift by shift.

“The implementation of the Morse Fall Risk Tool really shows that PCAs aren’t just supporting change,” Bernard reflected. “We’re sustaining it.”

Through unit‑based G.R.I.T., PCAs demonstrate frontline leadership—proving that fall prevention is not a checklist, but a sustained practice that directly supports safer patient outcomes.