Mr. David Ellis has been a valued team member of KTC1 (Home of the Brave) since 2018. Upon starting his VA career Mr. Ellis recognized that the KD CLC was having issues with falls, and that year the unit finished FY18 with 122 falls. As someone committed to falls and injury prevention, Mr. Ellis, in collaboration with the facility falls coordinator, started the first-ever KD falls team with the support of his nursing leadership team and providers. Mr. Ellis did a thorough review of all KD falls for FY18 and pinpointed the root causes of the falls. Through his leadership, the team immediately went to work by collaborating with the facility falls coordinator and patient safety; they implemented numerous fall prevention initiatives such as the lighthouse, post-fall environmental checks, and many more. These initiatives were vital in decreasing FY19 falls by approximately 10 percent when compared to FY18.

David's commitment to our veterans in regard to falls is unmatched. He not only thoroughly investigates KD falls but ensures corrective actions are in place before leaving for the day. For FY20 and FY21, KD falls decreased by approximately 24% and 5% compared to FY19 and FY20. Recently Mr. Ellis collaborated with KD providers and nursing leadership to establish a post-fall assessment protocol and orthostatic monitoring. This action led to proactively addressing falls caused by orthostasis. His contributions as leader of the KD falls team could not be overstated. Mr. Ellis’s dedication and commitment to falls and injury prevention in KD CLC are tremendous in all aspects. Improvement in KD falls would not have been possible without his guidance, recommendation, and mentorship to the KD nursing staff.