Empira Falls Series: Introduction to Root Cause Analysis

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First Chapter Free Buy Course

This course is part one of a four-part series of the Empira Falls Module. Empira is a consortium of Aging Service providers in Minnesota who created a successful falls program in the nursing home setting based on Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and evidence-based research. This course provides all staff in nursing homes with the key concepts, methodology, and tools of RCA to assist in determining causation of problems, conditions, and situations. RCA is a structured method of problem-solving utilized to find out what happened and why it happened, and to determine what can be done to prevent it from happening again. While it is frequently used when something goes wrong, RCA can also be used when something goes right, to ensure that it happens again. Focusing performance improvement operations at root causes is more effective than merely treating the symptoms of problems.

Meet your instructor

Sue Ann Guildermann

Sue Ann Guildermann has more than forty years of experience providing education, leadership, and consultation to nonprofit and for-profit senior service organizations. Sue Ann is a registered nurse, with a BA and MA in communication. She currently conducts research of evidence-based findings and practices to create quality…

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Chapters & learning objectives

1. A Structured Method

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a structured process to identify causation by exploring what, how, and why something happened. The ability to select appropriate solutions occurs when causation has been identified. Aligning solutions with causation results in predictable outcomes with near-certain prevention of recurrences.

2. Application of RCA to Clinical Conditions with Interventions and Solutions

The concept of RCA will be introduced and applied to clinical conditions with intervening solutions. Optimal health care is achieved when RCA is used to determine the cause of clinical conditions.

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