Nurse.comRisk Management: The Role of Nurses

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has laid a crucial foundation in understanding medical errors. In their transformative report, they found that systems failure is frequently the culprit behind medical errors. The report highlighted that medical errors account for 98,000 deaths per year, while up to 220,000 lives could be saved annually if we address these errors.

Recognizing the importance of risk management, healthcare organizations are taking strides to pinpoint, assess, and control risk and potential liability exposure. Considering the pivotal role that nurses play in risk management daily, it’s crucial that you are well informed about common patient safety risks, the reasons for medical errors, and how to reduce risk.

The primary aim of this course is to deepen your understanding as a nursing professional in acute care of risk management. The course also equips you with practical risk-reduction tools to minimize your exposure to professional liability. Once you have completed this course, you should be equipped to:

• Talk about the significance of healthcare risk management and areas of legal risk.
• Identify risk management strategies to enhance patient safety.
• Recognize at least three common risk areas and the role of nurses in risk reduction.

Be at the forefront of reducing medical errors and enhancing patient safety. By expanding your knowledge and skills in risk management, you can make a significant difference in patient outcomes and the healthcare landscape as a whole.