Assessment 2 Instructions: Root-Cause Analysis and Safety Improvement Plan
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  • PRINT
  • For this assessment, you can use a supplied template to conduct a root-cause analysis. The completed assessment will be a scholarly paper focusing on a quality or safety issue pertaining to medication administration in a health care setting of your choice as well as a safety improvement plan.

As patient safety concerns continue to be addressed in the health care settings, nurses can play an active role in implementing safety improvement measures and plans. Often root-cause analyses are conducted and safety improvement plans are created to address sentinel or adverse events such as medication errors, patient falls, wrong-site surgery events, and hospital-acquired infections. Performing a root-cause analysis offers a systematic approach for identifying causes of problems, including process and system-check failures. Once the causes of failures have been determined, a safety improvement plan can be developed to prevent recurrences. The baccalaureate nurse’s role as a leader is to create safety improvement plans as well as disseminate vital information to staff nurses and other health care professionals to protect patients and improve outcomes.
As you prepare for this assessment, it would be an excellent choice to complete the Quality and Safety Improvement Plan Knowledge Base activity and to review the various assessment resources, all of which will help you build your knowledge of key concepts and terms related to quality and safety improvement. The terms and concepts will be helpful as you prepare your Root-Cause Analysis and Safety Improvement Plan. Activities are not graded and demonstrate course engagement.
Demonstration of Proficiency
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

  • Competency 1: Analyze the elements of a successful quality improvement initiative.
    • Apply evidence-based and best-practice strategies to address a safety issue or sentinel event pertaining to medication administration. ;
    • Create a viable, evidence-based safety improvement plan for safe medication administration.
  • Competency 2: Analyze factors that lead to patient safety risks.
    • Analyze the root cause of a patient safety issue or a specific sentinel event pertaining to medication administration in an organization.
  • Competency 3: Identify organizational interventions to promote patient safety.
    • Identify existing organizational resources that could be leveraged to improve a safety improvement plan for safe medication administration.
  • Competency 5: Apply professional, scholarly, evidence-based strategies to communicate in a manner that supports safe and effective patient care.
    • Communicate in writing that is clear, logical, and professional, with correct grammar and spelling, using current APA style.

Professional Context
Nursing practice is governed by health care policies and procedures as well as state and national regulations developed to prevent problems. It is critical for nurses to participate in gathering and analyzing data to determine causes of patient safety issues, in solving problems, and in implementing quality improvements.
Scenario
For this assessment, you may choose from the following options as the subject of a root-cause analysis and safety improvement plan:

  • The specific safety concern identified in your previous assessment pertaining to medication administration safety concerns.
  • The readings, case studies, or a personal experience in which a sentinel event occurred surrounding an issue or concern with medication administration.

Instructions
The purpose of this assessment is to demonstrate your understanding of and ability to analyze a root cause of a specific safety concern in a health care setting. You will create a plan to improve the safety of patients related to the concern of medication administration safety based on the results of your analysis, using the literature and professional best practices as well as the existing resources at your chosen health care setting to provide a rationale for your plan.
Use the Root-Cause Analysis and Improvement Plan [DOCX] template to help you to stay organized and concise. This will guide you step-by-step through the root cause analysis process.
Additionally, be sure that your plan addresses the following, which corresponds to the grading criteria in the scoring guide. Please study the scoring guide carefully so you understand what is needed for a distinguished score.

  • Analyze the root cause of a patient safety issue or a specific sentinel event pertaining to medication administration in an organization.
  • Apply evidence-based and best-practice strategies to address the safety issue or sentinel event pertaining to medication administration.
  • Create a feasible, evidence-based safety improvement plan for safe medication administration.
  • Identify organizational resources that could be leveraged to improve your plan for safe medication administration.
  • Communicate in writing that is clear, logical, and professional, with correct grammar and spelling, using current APA style.

Example Assessment: You may use the following to give you an idea of what a Proficient or higher rating on the scoring guide would look like but keep in mind that your Assessment 2 will focus on safe medication administration.

Additional Requirements

  • Length of submission: Use the provided Root-Cause Analysis and Improvement Plan template to create a 5 page root cause analysis and safety improvement plan pertaining to medication administration.
  • Number of references: Cite a minimum of 3 sources of scholarly or professional evidence that support your findings and considerations. Resources should be no more than 5 years old.
  • APA formatting: Format references and citations according to current APA style.
  • SCORING GUIDE

Use the scoring guide to understand how your assessment will be evaluated.
 
Root-Cause Analysis and Safety Improvement Plan Scoring Guide

CRITERIA NON-PERFORMANCE BASIC PROFICIENT DISTINGUISHED
Analyze the root cause of a patient safety issue or a specific sentinel event pertaining to medication administration in an organization. Does not identify the root cause of a patient safety issue or a specific sentinel event pertaining to medication administration in an organization. Identifies the root cause of a patient safety issue or a specific sentinel event pertaining to medication administration in an organization. Analyzes the root cause of a patient safety issue or a specific sentinel event pertaining to medication administration in an organization. Analyzes the root cause of a patient safety issue or a specific sentinel event pertaining to medication administration in an organization, noting the degree to which various elements contributed to the safety issue or sentinel event pertaining to medication administration.
Apply evidence-based and best-practice strategies to address the safety issue or sentinel event pertaining to medication administration. Does not describe evidence-based and best-practice strategies pertaining to medication administration. Describes evidence-based and best-practice strategies but their relevance to the safety issue or sentinel event pertaining to medication administration is unclear. Applies evidence-based and best-practice strategies to address the safety issue or sentinel event pertaining to medication administration. Applies evidence-based and best-practice strategies to address the safety issue or sentinel event pertaining to medication administration, detailing how the strategies will address the safety issue or sentinel event pertaining to medication administration.
Create a viable, evidence-based safety improvement plan for safe medication administration. Does not create a viable, evidence-based safety improvement plan for safe medication administration. Creates a safety improvement plan for safe medication administration that lacks appropriate, convincing evidence of its viability. Creates a viable, evidence-based safety improvement plan for safe medication administration. Creates a viable, evidence-based safety improvement plan for safe medication administration that makes explicit reference to scholarly or professional resources to support the plan.
Identify existing organizational resources that could be leveraged to improve a safety improvement plan for safe medication administration. Does not identify existing organizational resources that could be leveraged to improve a safety improvement plan for safe medication administration. Identifies existing organizational resources, but their relevance and usefulness to quality and safety improvement for safe medication administration are unclear. Identifies existing organizational resources that could be leveraged to improve a safety improvement plan for safe medication administration. Identifies existing organizational resources that could be leveraged to improve a safety improvement plan for safe medication administration, prioritizing them according to potential impact.
Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions; contains few errors in grammar or punctuation, word choice, and spelling. Does not organize content for ideas. Lacks logical flow and smooth transitions. Organizes content with some logical flow and smooth transitions. Contain errors in grammar or punctuation, word choice, and spelling. Organizes content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions; contains few errors in grammar or punctuation, word choice, and spelling. Organizes content with a clear purpose. Content flows logically with smooth transitions using coherent paragraphs, correct grammar or punctuation, word choice, and free of spelling errors.
Apply APA formatting to in-text citations and references exhibiting nearly flawless adherence to APA format. Does not apply APA formatting to headings, in-text citations, and references. Does not use quotes or paraphrase correctly. Applies APA formatting to in-text citations, headings and references incorrectly or inconsistently, detracting noticeably from the content. Inconsistently uses headings, quotes or paraphrasing. Applies APA formatting to in-text citations and references exhibiting nearly flawless adherence to APA format. Exhibits strict and flawless adherence to APA formatting of headings, in-text citations, and references. Quotes and paraphrases correctly.

 
 
Evidence-Based Practice

  • Hande, K., Williams, C. T., Robbins, H. M., & Christenbery, T. (2017). Leveling evidence-based practice across the nursing curriculum.The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 13(1), e17–e22.
    • Abstract: Evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies represent essential components of nursing education at all levels. The transition of EBP learning goals from the baccalaureate to the Master of Science in nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice levels provides a blueprint for the development and advancement of student knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The purpose of this article is to describe 3 nursing curricula related to EBP competencies at the baccalaureate, master’s, and Doctor of Nursing Practice levels (Hande, Williams, Robbins, & Christenbery, 2017).
  • Sukkarieh-Haraty, O., & Hoffart, N. (2017). Integrating evidence-based practice into a Lebanese nursing baccalaureate program: Challenges and successes.International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 14(1), 441–442.
    • Abstract: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is defined as “the conscientious use of current best evidence in making clinical decisions about patient care.” This paper describes how we have developed the evidence-based practice concept and integrated it into two courses at two different levels of the BSN curriculum. Students apply EBP knowledge and process by using the PICO clinical question (Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome), whereby they observe a selected clinical skill, and then compare their observations to hospital protocol and against the latest evidence-based practice guidelines. The assignment for the second course requires students to pick a more complex clinical skill and to support proposed changes in practice with scholarly literature. Assessment of student learning and course evaluation has shown that the overall experience of integrating EBP projects into the curriculum is fruitful for students, clinical agencies, and faculty (Sukkarieh-Haraty & Hoffart, 2017).
  • Rahmayanti, E. I., Kadar, K. S., & Saleh, A. (2020). Readiness, barriers and potential strength of nursing in implementing evidence-based practice.International Journal of Caring Sciences, 13(2), 1203–1211.
    • This article provides methods for identifying the readiness, barriers, and potential strengths of implementing evidence-based practice.
  • Lee, S. K. (2016). Implementing evidence-based practices improves neonatal outcomes.Evidence-Based Medicine, 21(6), 231.
    • This journal article provides a framework for identifying and appraising research, as well as implementing change and practices based on research.

 
Quality and Safety

 
Root-Cause Analysis

  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (n.d.). Cause and effect diagram[Video]. http://www.ihi.org/education/IHIOpenSchool/resources/Pages/AudioandVideo/Whiteboard16.aspx
    • Cause and effect (or fishbone) diagrams are often used in root-cause analyses; this video shows how to create them.
  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (n.d.). Introduction to trigger tools for identifying adverse events. http://www.ihi.org/resources/Pages/Tools/IntrotoTriggerToolsforIdentifyingAEs.aspx
    • Tools to identify adverse events and determine their causes are provided on this resource page.
  • Galatzan, B. J. (2019). Exploring the content of the nurse-to-nurse change of shift hand-off communication (Publication No. 27666610) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Arizona].http://library.capella.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fdocview%2F2336369734%3Faccountid%3D27965
    • Abstract: An estimated 250,000 deaths occur annually are attributed to preventable medical errors. Approximately 100,000 of those deaths are related to miscommunication between healthcare providers. Miscommunication between healthcare providers during the transfer of care accounts for 80% of sentinel events occurring in the hospital setting. The hand-off communication continues to be one of the primary causes of sentinel events in healthcare in spite of the continued research focus over the past 10 years. The transfer of care communication between providers is called the “hand-off,” “change of shift report,” or “handover.” The hand-off for purposes of this study is defined as the process of transferring patient care, responsibility, and authority from one nurse to another at the change of shift. Specifically, we are concerned about the communication of clinical events (CE) experienced by the patient because CEs are precursors to a sentinel event. A CE is defined as a change in the patient’s condition in the following areas: bleeding, pain, fever, and changes in output, respiratory status, or level of consciousness (Galatzan, 2019).
  • Minnesota Department of Health. (n.d.). Root cause analysis toolkit. https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/patientsafety/adverseevents/toolkit/
    • The Minnesota Department of Health offers an extensive collection of resources related to root-cause analysis.
  • The Joint Commission. (n.d.). Framework for conducting a root cause analysis and action plan. http://www.jointcommission.org/Framework_for_Conducting_a_Root_Cause_Analysis_and_Action_Plan/
    • With resources for conducting a root-cause analysis and creating an action plan to address the results, this Web page will help you understand the steps and processes of RCAs and improvement plans for this assessment.

 
Sentinel Events

  • The Joint Commission. (n.d.). Sentinel event policy and procedures.https://jointcommission.org/sentinel_event_policy_and_procedures
    • This web page provides definitions, policies, and procedures related to Sentinel events that may help you to complete your assignment.
  • The Joint Commission. (2017). The essential role of leadership in developing a safety culture [PDF]. Sentinel Event Alert, 57, 1–8. https://www.jointcommission.org/sea_issue_57/
    • According to The Joint Commission, “Competent and thoughtful leaders…understand that systemic flaws exist and each step in a care process has the potential for failure simply because humans make mistakes.” This issue of Sentinel Event Alertdiscusses ways that effective leaders foster the development of a safety culture.

 
Safety and Sentinel Event Case Studies

  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (n.d.). One dose, fifty pills (AHRQ). http://www.ihi.org/education/IHIOpenSchool/resources/Pages/Activities/AHRQCaseStudyOneDoseFiftyPills.aspx
  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (n.d.). Josie King – What happened to Josie? [Video]. http://www.ihi.org/education/IHIOpenSchool/resources/Pages/Activities/WhatHappenedtoJosieKing.aspx

 
 

Root-Cause Analysis And Safety Improvement Plan
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