Rca Information and Courses from MediaLab, Inc.
These are the MediaLab courses that cover Rca and links to relevant pages within the course.
Learn more about laboratory continuing education for medical technologists to earn CE credit for AMT, ASCP, NCA, and state license renewal and recertification. Or get information about laboratory safety and compliance courses that deliver cost-effective OSHA safety training and continuing education to your laboratory's employees.
| Which statement(s) are true about Root Cause Analysis? | View Page |
| Which statement(s) are true about Failure Mode and Effect Analysis? | View Page |
| Root Cause Analysis is subject to human bias because it includes individual interpretation of events and causes. True or false? | View Page |
| RCA Value A technologist performs a venipuncture for glucose testing on the wrong patient. This medical error leads to the patient receiving an incorrect dose of insulin and the patient goes into a coma--this medical error led to an adverse event.
Analysis without RCA:
Determines the technologist should have checked the patient's wristband (the immediate reaction).Questions why the technologist did not also verbally identify the patient (the subsequent reaction).Restates these reactions (in the internal follow-up review).Misses causes discoverable by a detailed and open investigation.
Analysis with RCA:
Includes descriptions of events leading up to a "wrong person procedure" in its reports.Describes 17 separate errors identified in the follow-up investigation.Recommends actions that should avoid reoccurrence of the error. | View Page |
| RCA and Sentinel Events RCA focuses on systems, processes, and common causes in organizational processes. It identifies potential improvements in systems and processes that should decrease the likelihood of repeated Sentinel Events.
Unfortunately, RCA reports sometimes indicate that situations have no opportunity for improvement. | View Page |
| RCA Considerations RCA considers the following elements:
Factors associated with an adverse eventStudy of specific processes related to the eventPotential improvement processes to reduce the likelihood repeating the eventQuestioning that probes deeply by repeatedly asking "Why?"Analysis that is thorough and credible
| View Page |
| RCA Limitations RCA is limited as a way of reducing errors because it helps people learn from mistakes that have already occurred.
It is also limited because it includes speculation--individual interpretation of events and causes. It is not immune from human bias. | View Page |
| Sentinel Events JCAHO calls adverse events Sentinel Events. It defines a Sentinel Event as an unexpected occurrence that involves death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk that these might occur. RCA analyzes Sentinel Events. | View Page |
| Sentinel Events Review | View Page |
| RCA Description RCA helps to identify the what's, how's, and why's of mistakes. Its goal is to reduce future errors.It follows a defined procedure and format to identify specific contributing factors: Personnel Training Equipment Protocols Schedules | View Page |
| RCA Steps
Steps in Root Cause Analysis | View Page |
| RCA Information Types of information included in RCA:
Organizations impacted by the eventInvestigation participantsInformation needed and person(s) responsibleLiterature reviewedIncidental findingsSequence of eventsIdentified barriersRoot contributory factors and action plans | View Page |
| RCA Purposes RCA helps the medical community understand how and why Sentinel Events occur and how they can be prevented from reoccurring.The immediate cause of most Sentinel Events is human fallibility.Another purpose of RCA is to uncover underlying systems and processes that can be changed to reduce the possibility of human fallibility causing future errors. | View Page |
| RCA Reports RCA reports avoid declaring that errors are caused by preconceived notions or the first mistakes identified.
By definition, RCA emphasizes analysis of situations. Its most important products are detailed reports that describe the sequence of events that lead to adverse events. | View Page |
| FMEA and RCA Failure Mode and Effect Analysis uses the opposite approach of Root Cause Analysis.
Ways FMEA and RCA differ:
FMEA is proactive and RCA is reactive.FMEA occurs during development and RCA occurs after-the-fact.FMEA prevents errors and RCA satisfies patients or requirements.FMEA helps processes to work and RCA changes processes that do not work.FMEA encourages good outcomes and RCA changes bad outcomes.
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| New JCAHO Standards The healthcare community uses RCA to reduce medical errors, but it is reactive in nature. For this reason, JCAHO collaborates with recognized patient safety experts to develop and implement additional patient safety standards.
These new standards charge healthcare organization leaders to create cultures of patient safety. They emphasize the need for teamwork and effective communication.
They are based on well-known experiences of the aviation industry and they reflect findings from JCAHO's Sentinel Event Database. They identify communication breakdowns as the most common underlying factor in all types of Sentinel Events. | View Page |
| Choose the organization(s) that strive to improve patient safety. | View Page |